Stefanny Monga

Below are the first two scenes of Spark & Flame. Chapter 1 Sparks cracked through the empty music room. Blue-white flashes, blazing and violent, picked up music sheets in a gust and snapped against the drum symbols sending them clamoring. At the center of the whirlwind, Riza Ashland knelt, gripping the sides of her head and muttering the steps her papi taught her. Not now. Please, she could not surge now. “Dirt. Rock. Cement. Brick. Steel.” She repeated, each seal within her mind building up, up and willing the power behind them. Another spark escaped, sending her curly black hair flying forward. “Come on.” Fingers pressed on her temples, she rolled out the growing pulse, pulse, pulse. “Dirt. Rock. Cement. Brick. Steel.” The pressure had been happening all morning. Nothing she hadn’t dealt with before, which was the only reason she didn’t mention anything to papi. Or why she didn’t opt for a sick day. But this was… Another steadying breath, the pressure subsided. Energy coursed through her, veins pumping and glowing under her skin, visible at the cuffs of her green school blazer. She flexed her fists once, twice, and they disappeared back to the normal olive. Sheets fluttered down, scattering on the ground at her knees where she’d buckled from the sharp flick of pain. “Great.” Quickly, she gathered up all the sheets, taking her own music and stacked the rest on her teacher’s desk on her way out. Rushing out, she nearly stumbling over the legs of a student seated on the floor, throwing an apology over her shoulder as she sped down the hall to the auditorium. Thankfully, she was always the first to arrive, the stage empty and her cello sitting, waiting to draw her into a peaceful melody. Resting the cherry wood bodice against the Franklin Station High School crest of a golden lion on her chest, the tightness in her neck eased. The dull ache in her head, numbed away. Necessary and welcome respite to the day. Especially with how today was going. Her hand drifted down, pulling the necklace until the lavender baroque pearl emerged out of the neck of her shirt. She stroked the smooth surface, then re-hid the pendant before picking up her bow. With her eyes closed, she embraced the cello and laid her fingers down on the fingerboard in a gentle caress. Familiar cold metal kissed her fingertips with a zap as she began to move them and glide the bow across the strands. Low at first, then building to a peak, the Saint-Saens “The Swan” solo notes began to vibrate around her. Music bellowed and echoed against the walls of the empty room, but Riza’s mind was quiet. In the black expanse, her seals groaned slightly at the crashing energy trapped behind but held strong. Good. Stay there. She turned the page, her bow sliding smoothly— pulse, pulse, pulse. No…not again. The bow clamored on the stage floor, Riza rolled her fingers over her temples, trying to ease the pressure gnashing at her skull, right as the auditorium doors clanged open. “First one, again?” Theo Whitaker said casually, hopping onto the stage with his violin in hand. Like all the junior boys in their grade, he wore a green blazer with white piping and the FHS crest stitched to the chest, white button down, navy blue tie and slacks. Unlike all the other boys in their grade, not many kept it as pristine all day, or looked quite as handsome, a fact many girls noticed, not that he was bothered by it. He slung his blazer over the back of the chair before sitting, his dark brown almost black wavy hair and fair skin glistened underneath the stage lights when he bent to grab her bow. “Thanks. I just thought I’d get some extra practice in for the winter concert.” She frowned. “Not that it’s helping. The acoustics are better when it’s empty so I can hear all the notes I don’t hit just right.” And fighting down energy surges wasn’t exactly helping her focus either. He looked at her with those serious deep set dark blue eyes that made him look older than seventeen. With a gruff laugh, “out of everyone here, you, Olivia and I are probably the only ones that don’t need extra practice.” “Humble.” She shook her head. “That’s because we practice, T. Not all of us can be natural born musicians and geniuses like you.” Olivia Kinley said with a quick wink and toss of her long brown pony tail in his direction as she walked passed them. Her navy blue skirt with green and gold checkering, the same one Riza wore only a few inches shorter, sashayed behind her in unison with her hair. “Music wasn’t my first choice but I appreciate the symmetry between music and math. Everything is calculated. Playing the violin wasn’t a natural born skill like math was, but it was easier for me than most. Plus, it looks good for pre-med. Steady hands.” “Uh-huh.” She laughed, the sound cheery, easy. “I think you just proved my point.” Sitting in the chair beside Riza’s she looked at her and said, “And I don’t blame you Riza. We have to keep up with the master over there.” She kept smiling and Riza tried to match that easy vibe, but looked away, pressing her eyes shut to equalize a stubbornly persistent jab coursing through her brain. “Are you going to try out for the Juilliard apprenticeship?” Riza titled her head to the side, scrunching her nose. “Mmm. Maybe. Are you?” Olivia raised her hand, fingers crossed. “Maybe we’ll be sharing chairs together again.” “I don’t know.” She flipped the music sheets back to the start. “It’s extremely competitive and I haven’t soloed before.” “So? You’re insanely good!” Riza’s eyes must have widened so much Olivia smiled. “You are. I’m kind of jealous. Anyway, soloing isn’t that big a deal. I really hope that’s not what’s keeping you from auditioning. The whole imagine them naked thing is crap. I like to just pretend I’m in my room. Don’t let fear win.” Sparks lashed against the seals. What Riza saw was chaos. Twisted metal. What she heard was screaming. Riza breathed, the energy settling again. “I wish it were that simple.” “Sure it is.” Olivia nudged her with an elbow. “Don’t make me drag you there.” “She will.” Theo chimed. The two of them laughed and the surging lulled to a quiet rumble. They weren’t friends, by any means, only exchanging a few words during rehearsal, or occasionally when they passed each other in the hall or when Riza ate at Alexi diner where Olivia worked with her mother. Olivia kept her own circle of friends from student council, girls from the cheer squad, and guys from the soccer team. And their only other connection was Max. Seeing Olivia with her friends, images of chatting, laughing with them came alive. Pulse, pulse, pulse. Fast, hard punches to the head and twisting in her gut made her hunch over. Jesus that was bad. Quickly she tried to straighten but now her stomach was cramping too. “You okay?” Theo said quickly looking at her then back to his violin as he adjusted the knobs. “Mhmm.” She shook off the ache, pulling herself upright. “Fine. Just a headache.” “This concert is a headache. Between my college prep tutoring, student council, and the science club, I’m lucky if I get a couple hours to practice during the week.” He bent forward, looking at Olivia. “Maybe our VP can get over her power trip and spare me from the pep rally stuff this week?” “No way! I need all the bodies I can get. If I can get enough practice for my solo, on top of Vice President responsibilities and dance, then so can you.” “Aren’t there rally girls lining up to cheer for my brother to help you?” “Nice try.” Olivia gave him an amused wink. Fine, long fingers worked expertly adjusting the knobs while picking at the strands. Serene, just as the swan in her piece, her delicate ivory face with a misting of freckles over her nose almost appeared like white feathers against the deep cherry of the cello. There was a reason she was one of the prettiest girls in the class. No wonder Max had dated her. Riza focused herself on adjusting her cello, ignoring that thought, while she willed whatever the hell was going on with her electricity to quiet the hell down behind the seals. Another clang. The auditorium doors swung open as more students flooded in, swarming to their seats and Mrs. Williams, her long loose brown and peppered white braid swinging back and forth behind her, large bag probably full of music books, in tow. Standing below the stage with her arms crossed, Mrs. Williams frowned. “Okay everyone, take your seats. I know it’s after school, we’re all tired, but we need focus.” She motioned to someone in the front row to take the music books from her and hand them out. “Make sure you’re on passage four of Saint-Saens.” Then, lower and sounding dissatisfied, “for those of you who were paying attention last rehearsal, that would be the tortoise piece.” It took a few more minutes, but the orchestra settled into a unified and clamorous melody, that shook against the walls, rattling the room awake. Though the name suggested a lumbering and slow piece, it was lively and quick, a complete parody to its title. And far too loud for her right now. Throughout it, Olivia and Theo played to detailed precision, not missing a single note. Pulse. Pulse. “Ah.” Her bow slipped, screeching the next note. Theo eyed her. “What’s with her today? Is she sick?” Riza’s hand froze. Pulse. Pulse. A spark sizzling in her hand— The music died off, people turning to see what the hell caused that. It was her, rather her cello, slipping and nearly crashing into Theo. No, no, no. He hadn’t been talking. That was his mind. But if that was the case then her seals— “Reez?” Theo said, concern lining his brow, mouth. He was gripping onto the neck of her instrument, guiding it back on the stand. “Something’s wrong.” “Are you okay?” “What’s up back there?” Mrs. Williams called over, both hands on her hips. “I need to—” She stood, grabbing her bag, dropping the music sheets, notebooks, and scrambled to pick them up. Theo knelt, grabbing a handful. Snatching them, he jerked back. She hadn’t meant that but she was surging, she had to be and he was too close. Everyone was.“Thanks. I’m just, uh, I think it’s a bad migraine. I need to go.” Olivia said something like feel better but she didn’t turn to say thank you or even apologize to Mrs. Williams, rushing out behind the stage exit door.

Assignment 1: Story Statement A psychic teen girl must learn to conquer her powers to fight the evil forces kidnapping and killing psychic kids like her. Assignment 2: Antagonist Sketch Eli Kyle, 17, a transplant from Georgia to Franklin Station, NY, and the main antagonist, a love interest, also the only other powerful elemental psychic in the story with a fire-starting ability, amongst others. He’s enigmatic at first, watchful, and even mischievous when it comes to Riza, the protagonist. Underneath, he carries guilt, shame, and fear. It’s that fear that makes him lethal because he’s willing to do anything to survive. From the start, he shows interest in Riza, even agreeing to help her with controlling her powers. At first, it seems like it’s all just out of his desire to not get caught selling drugs (Riza uses this as blackmail to get him to train her) but as they work together, it transforms into more romantic interest in Riza. However, all of this is a manipulation tactic to gain Riza’s trust. Eli is known as a tracker, a psychic that can sense others' powers, and given his age, and handsome looks, he’s perfect at gaining the trust and luring the psychic kids they need. His other hidden abilities make this tactic more insidious as he can remote speak with his victims and temporarily alter minds, leaving no trace or witnesses when the abduction occurs. His reason for all this is out of his fear of becoming a target. In a way, he is a victim himself, his older brother holding over his head the knowledge that Eli is a murderer and can turn him over to the mysterious people they work for at any moment. Eli lives in fear of this, his sadistic older brother and haunted by the people he’s set on fire in the past. Randall Kyle, 31 also hailing from Georgia with his brother Eli, is our other antagonist. Unlike his brother, Randall is charming, calculated, resourceful, and highly manipulative. He’s been in charge of his little brother’s care since he was a teen, signed up for the Army as soon as he was able, and has been using his training and natural ability to control others, to survive. During his time in the military, he earned the title of Breaker, using his “talents” to gain information from prisoners, which ultimately also led to his discharge. Nevertheless, Randall was resourceful, making connections within his unit before his departure. Once he was back in the U.S., moving from state to state with Eli, he manipulated his brother with the knowledge of Eli’s murder, and of his fire-starting abilities, threatening to turn him over to the mysterious people they work for but never does. His ability to manipulate is his biggest threat. The idea to use Eli to gain access to Riza is his plan from the start. He uses that leverage to infiltrate her life, in parallel his past military connections gained him access to the police. Thanks to his careful planning, he’s able to operate wide open, not drawing attention. Randall has a hidden ability of his own, though not an elemental, it’s a strong ability to tap the nervous system, contort bodies, and create immense pain for his victims. It’s with this “breaking” power that he weeds the weak psychics from the strongest. He views what he does as survival and has no issue taking revenge if necessary. The elemental powers are antagonist forces. Riza’s lightning and shadow are highly destructive and when she combines them, nothing can stop them from obliterating everything. She views it as chaos in her mind and has always thought of it as something wrong that shouldn’t exist. As for Eli’s fire, it reflects his nature at one moment dim like an ember that ignites into a rage, in particular when he feels threatened. Because of the volatility of those forces, their collision is disastrous for anyone and anything in their path. Similar to the relationship between Eli and Riza, which is destructive and toxic. Assignment 3: Breakout Title Ascendant Spark & Flame Assignment 4: Genre and Comparable Titles Genre: Contemporary Fantasy with sub-genres of Romance and Science Fiction Comp titles: Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young (Atmosphere, vibe, romance, mystery, murder) Firestarter by Stephen King (Fire ability, scientific research, murder, father-daughter relationship) Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (Lightning and fire abilities, love triangle romantic sub-plot, betrayal) One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig (Hidden secrets, power like an infection, working with the antagonist) Stranger Things, Netflix series created by the Duffer Brothers (Young FMC psychic, powerful telekinetic, mind-bending, eclectic friend group) Assignment 5: Write Your Own Hookline (Logline) A psychic teen girl, Riza, with elemental powers of dangerous proportions experiences a horrific vision of someone close to her dying, and they continue getting worse. With her psychic father, best friend, and a mysterious but alluring new firestarter, she must learn to conquer her powers to fight the evil forces kidnapping and killing psychic kids like her or fall victim to the monsters outside and within. Assignment 6: Protagonist Inner Conflict; Hypothetical Scenario for Secondary Conflict Riza internalized that there is something wrong with her from the moment that her powers first surged, effectively killing her fifth-grade teacher in a car wreck. Afterward, her father taught her to seal away her power, confirming to her that her abilities were monstrous. As she grew, she feared losing control, so maintained distance from gaining real friendships, save for one. Scenario: In the opening scene of the story, Riza is feeling ill. It could be the onset of a surge but this one feels a bit different. She continues with her cello practice and when she’s asked by her classmate if she’s sick, it sparks something in her and Riza realizes she needs to leave immediately. When she’s out, she sees her only friend Max at soccer practice. Alternatively, he has a normal life, laughing with his teammates. She bottles in her longing for something even close to that, on top of her growing surge. As she walks home, electricity and shadow surge from her, felling trees and scorching the ground but something is different. Riza has a vision of someone being killed. It terrifies her. When she goes to see her father, he’s concerned if she hurt anyone, if anyone saw since it happened in broad daylight, and makes her go through the steps of sealing her powers. That prioritization, she realizes, over what harm she can unleash is her reality and one she can never escape. This leads to her secondary conflict, wanting connection but not being capable because of this wrongness/otherness dwelling in her. Max, her first friend and only person who knows of her powers up until the beginning of the story having discovered them by chance, becomes her first love interest. The tension and feelings are there between them, but suffering surges and even hurting Max accidentally, on top of hearing confirmation from Eli later on in the story that she is unlike everyone and, therefore cannot connect with anyone else, she doesn’t act on her feelings for Max. Scenario: Soon after her initial vision, Riza is on her way to a pep rally bonfire. It’s been only two days and she’s afraid of when her vision will come to pass. Without being able to see the face of the victim, she even fears it could be her. Again, she feels the onset of a surge only this time, it feels so much stronger. She starts to surge in the bus with almost thirty other students and shorts it, the engine catching fire, and tires popping. When the students exit the failing bus, she flees into the nearby woods, trying to seal her escaping power, only her will isn’t strong enough and it lashes out at her in a violent storm. Max’s brother having witnessed Riza running off, seeks out Max in the bonfire telling him what happened. This sounds familiar and Max fears for her and goes to look for Riza with his brothers. When they find her, Riza is caught in a whirlwind of electricity and shadow of her own making, and it’s threatening to destroy her. Max jumps to pull her out while Riza battles trying to suppress it again. In the process, it slashes his arm and he’s thrown against a tree. Seeing what she did, she manages to gain control before her power kills him. Later that same night, Max informs her that his brothers saw everything and are pretty much confused and terrified. But Riza is only focused on the injury she caused him. When Max stays with her, holding her, she keeps her distance from him and she can tell it hurts him to see her pull away. Assignment 7: Sketch Out Your Setting Franklin Station, NY (Pop: 12,439) Nestled in the Hudson Valley, Franklin Station is three and a half hours from Lake George and north of neighboring towns Newburgh and Beacon. It is one and a half hours from New York City. Because of its proximity to the Hudson River, it was once a mining community, now turned into a quaint residential town of the working class with a large cement plant owning a large portion of land. Surrounded by woods, a lake, smaller rivers, and hiking trails, Franklin Station is a great location to raise a family and enjoy nature. In contrast to the small yet lively picture of Franklin Station, Old Mine is a community that still resembles the mining days. Log cabins, dirt roads, isolated by the woods, the people that live there like to keep to themselves and are suspicious of visitors, even from Franklin Station. It’s somewhat a forgotten section, harboring good working people, but also some shadier individuals; the kind of place you grow up in and either get stuck or don’t return. The mines scattered through the woods of Franklin Station and its smaller community, Old Mine, contain many naturally occurring minerals and crystals, including Magnetite. A black rock-crystalline found in iron ore, but only smaller deposits exist now. Interestingly, this substance has been observed in the human brain. For those interested in undisturbed research on the connection between psychic ability and environmental effects, it’s the perfect setting. As it is for those searching for those same psychics, the mines provide endless places to hide and operate for far darker purposes. And, it is the home of one the strongest elemental psychics ever documented, a rare dark power embedded with the very earth surrounding her. Riza has lived in Franklin Station her whole life and since turning ten, she’s been suffering the effects of living so close to Magnetite found in the mines around her home. As a natural-born electrokinetic psychic, her powers have adapted to their environment, making her an “elemental” with an unusual ability to draw this substance from the earth around her and within her, creating a powerful shadow that is charged by her electricity, capable of demolishing a car within seconds as did happen on her very first surge of power. For years, Riza’s been plagued with sudden surges of power, forcing her to keep them sealed, but as she’s grown, so have her abilities, specifically, pre-cognition. Driven back into the woods, her visions are directly connected to the mines and slowly peeling away at the secrets hidden in them. Uncharted mines, long-forgotten tunnels, and caverns deep in the earth not only breed elementals but also hide. For Eli and Randall, they use Old Mine and its direct connection to these mines as their home base to track, lure, hide, and break psychics. With the ability to move undetected, and utilize the transport routes of the cement factory, and the river, it's almost impossible for police to pin them down. To a lesser degree, Lake George is an important location for Riza and the Whitaker family (Max’s family) having spent summers there. Where Franklin Station is the setting for Riza’s surges, visions, and later battle for survival, Lake George is a sanctuary for her and Max. They have their secret spots on the islands that they visited when they were younger and become the places where they can be together as a couple in the present day. Eli uses this information at one point after he’s been revealed to Riza, as a way to torture her by sending threatening images of him burning the family lake home and everyone in it.