Short Scene: Twisted

With assessments building up over this past month, I haven't had a lot of time to create some new content. I wrote this little scene in 2020:

I hiss in pain as my bruises knock together. My bruises were turning black and purple over time. I glance at Axel. I was expecting him to fall over in pain but he was remaining strong. Even after all that had passed between us and every lie he had told and been told. Every betrayal. My cheeks flush as I remember the last few days and I can’t imagine how it must feel for him. 
My eyes linger on his face before he feels my gaze. Our eyes meet for a split second before I turn my head and stare at the wall. I can’t bear to look into his eyes. The eyes I used. The eyes I also betrayed. 
“Manio, Reese,” a voice from behind me calls out. 
I swing my head back to see a girl that looked a few years older than me standing firmly with her hands on her hips. She meets my gaze with a challenging look. She has long blonde hair and emerald eyes. I straighten my back, not letting anyone see me, retreating into my shell and stare right back.
She blinks and then breaks her gaze, “I’m Lynn and I’m looking after you guys while you're here,”
“And where’s here?” Axel bites.
Lynn holds his gaze for a few seconds before hesitatingly replying, “You're on Midnight, the sleekest boat-“
“I don’t think this counts as a boat,” I interrupt, my voice even. 
Lynn glares at me, “ It's an underwater boat, we are currently in the ocean tunnels,” 
“Submarine,” I hear Axel mutter.
“Hey,” Lynn glares at him. “In case you haven’t noticed, you two are in the presence of a person who didn’t exactly grow up as important as you, Axel or had enough money to get by, Jade. My family grew up rough, surviving because people like Kayo and Lee were there to help us and while you're here, you obey us,”
“Well Lynn, in case you haven’t noticed, you're standing in the presence of two people who have suffered a lot in the past week,” I snap back, my face flushes. “And no matter how much you resent people like Axel or me, we don’t exactly live all sunshine and roses,”
Lynn and I stare at each other waiting for the other to break. 
Axel clears his throat, “If you girls are done, I have a question,”
Lynn doesn’t break her gaze but raises her eyebrow.
“Lynn, if you're implying that you can’t survive without help then how do you have a submarine, sorry, an underwater boat? Only the government has one,”
Lynn looks away, her face red, “ We stole it,” in a small voice.
“Who’s we?” I ask slowly.
Lynn sighs and looks at me. “I’m sure you know how unfair the rules are between lower class people and higher class people, and why we even need to be “classed”,” she looks pointedly between Axel and I. 
I can’t bring myself to look at Axel though I know I’m burning up. 
“When the harder rules, like wearing wristbands to signify what class we are, came into play, it was getting harder for us to survive. So Kayo, Lee, a few other people and I joined forces and we became The Shadows. We had a goal to change the future, overthrowing those above us,”
“I think you have to ask yourself, do you want a better future for yourself or do you just want vengeance?” I say slowly. “Because if we become the leaders, we will not be any better than the people making the decisions today,”
Lynn is silent for a while. I can see no one has ever questioned this goal. “It’s just a goal. An imperfect one,” then in a softer voice. “Alex, my brother, thinks our goal is a dream. Impossible. He doesn’t stop us but he doesn’t join us. I think I’m starting to believe that,” her eyes glaze over, in a long memory.
I take a step forward and gently touch her shoulder, “At least you want to change the future and have people with you,” 
I flinch when I say ‘have people with you’. Before Axel and Matthew, I had never once felt like people cared about me. I was fragile. I still am but parts of me have changed.
Axel eyes me. I know he sees that in me and I can see it in him. 
Lynn smiles sadly at me, “I wish, the shadows were ready to stop before you two came along. Now everyone thinks you guys are miracles,”
I scoff, “Miracles? We just two broken teenagers,”
Lynn shrugs, “Miracles come from the strangest places even if you guys are pains and I can barely stand to be in the same room as you,” 
I grin, the familiar bite is back. “Before we have another emotional conversation-“
“Tell us what’s gonna happen today,” Axel interrupts. 
Lynn walks towards the door, I didn’t notice it before, and says over her shoulder, “Come with me,”
Axel and I exchange glances before we follow her.
The hallway is crowded with people in black masks. Every single one of them has an emblem of a silhouette. All of them avoid my eyes and some even clear the path for us. Axel is met with disgusting looks. We are both out of place here. We don’t belong in a place where we stand out. But now I don’t know where I do belong. I am an outsider in both. The people in my “class” see me as a rebel, a traitor and will sentence me to execution. The people here see me as someone higher than them. Someone not worth their time. And I don’t think they will trust us.
Lynn leads us through dark twisting corridors before stopping at a dark blue door. She knocks
“Enter!” a deep voice booms. 
“Aah. Our two guests,” the voice says as Lynn brings us in. It's a man a few years older than Axel. Maybe twenty two, twenty three. “You may leave Lynn but stand guard outside the door,”
Lynn nods and retreats.
“Well well well. Two higher ups,” the man sneers. “I’m David,”
I am fighting the urge to laugh right now. He looks so pathetic right now, sitting in a chair looking down on us. He is sitting so tense. Axel and I are both deadly and he knows it. Axel alone has had military training since he could walk and I’m a natural fighter. David wouldn’t dare try to attack us. We would overpower him quickly.

Writers Guild of America (WGA) has gone on strike!

For the first time in 15 years, the Writers Guild of America or the WGA will go on strike, leaving Hollywood movies and shows to shut down production and press releases. The last WGA strike happened between 2007 and 2008 and lasted 100 days. It cost the Californian economy $3 billion. The strike is occurring because the WGA failed to reach an agreement for higher pay from the nine largest studios such as Netflix, which are represented through the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). It is said that this could severely impact the autumn TV season because writing usually starts during May or June. The WGA represents 11,500 writers and other members.

This is an important issue to address because it often appears that writers are not valued enough in the industry. We are responsible for more than most people think. Actors may star in front of the camera but without a writer, they would not have a story to act out. Half of TV writers work at minimum salaries, as opposed to 2013-2014 where only a third were paid that little. The WGA is demanding better pay, expanding protections to cover all television writers, a mandatory minimum staffing required for each episode of television, a guaranteed number of consecutive weeks of work, share of compensation from the streaming revenue and many more reasonable requests that they deserve to have. There is also the fear of AI or robots replacing the writers and a request for safeguards from studios to prevents AI generating new scripts from writers previous works. 

Shows that will currently be impacted are late night shows such as The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Saturday Night Live, The Late Show With Steven Colbert and Late Night With Seth Myers. They have shut down immediately and will air reruns. Network television shows like the Emmy-award winning Abbott Elementary and Yellowjackets have also ceased writing. Streaming shows like Good Omens, Cobra Kai and Stranger Things are also affected and writing has stopped. Many actors have supported this strike. Brett Goldstein, a writer and producer on Ted Lasso told The Hollywood Reporter, "It's time writers were paid a fair wage, it seems a real shame that all this good stuff was made by writers, all these people and there are writers who are genuinely struggling to afford to live. It just seems insane. You need writers,"

While the impact of film and television may not be felt right now, we will certainly feel it if the strike continues for an extended period of time. The Actors Union (SAG-AFTR) and the Directors Union (DGA) are also in negotiations with the studios and their deadline is June 30.

Excerpt From My Book

I have been hard at work creating a solo book that I hope to self-publish soon. While it isn't finished, I can reveal a short excerpt. This is a memory from my main character, Celeste Albus:

It was January 1st and I was nearing seven years old. The clock had struck ten minutes past midnight and I had woken up for a glass of water. I heard laughter as I glided silently down the especially long staircase and creeped to the kitchen. I passed my father’s study and I clearly wasn't as stealthy as I’d hoped because he called out to me.

“Celeste?” he called.

I stopped dead in my tracks, hoping and praying he couldn’t see me and would forget I was there. I closed my eyes and silently counted to ten but I could hear his footsteps reaching the ajar door of the study. The light lit up the dark hallway and illuminated our faces. 

My father looked stressed and distracted and he rubbed his head more often these past couple of days than I had ever seen him. His dark brown eyes, that I didn’t inherit, search mine. 

“Care to explain why you’re awake at this time, young lady?” he rubs his head again.

I feel myself beginning to shrink beneath his blistering gaze but I pull my posture up. 

“I wanted a glass of water,” I defend myself. 

My father sighs, like I’ve insulted him. He always comments on how defensive I am. Says that if I feel no shame, I won’t filter my words or my actions. My mother just says I’m a born fighter. 

Laughter grows louder from the common room. It just annoys my father more. He has dark circles under his eyes and I doubt it’s because of the loud parties occupying every part of the kingdom.

It’s my grandmother.

The Queen, Daphne Corran-Albus, is sick. She has been, for the past couple of months but no one had been amiss. Even now, ignorance plagues the court. Only the immediate family knew and despite my parents calling in favours from every inch of the kingdom and beyond, nothing was helping. Even the Healer Guardians couldn’t stop the sickness, only stall it. 

“Let’s go to the kitchen,” he says. I take that as a sign to grab his hand.

He pushes the doors open and my eyes adjust to the light. Our head chef, Francesco, who is from Rykon, is busy making coffee. I yawn loudly and Francesco registers our presence.

“Your Majesty!” he sweeps into a long and dramatic bow. “What can I do for you on this fine night?”

I giggle and Father manages a small smile. “Francesco, it's the middle of the night. I’m sure my wife and her friends can manage making coffee on their own,”

The chef frowns, “I am more than happy to help, sir,” he assures us.

My father sees no use arguing with him and is about to grab a glass when the chef blocks his path. 

“Anything you want, I give,” his accent giving way. 

“One glass of water,” I pipe up, holding up one finger. “Please,” I quickly add.

Francesco hands it to me with a wink. 

I down it quickly before scurrying to the dishwater and placing it in. I dart back to my father and we leave the head chef back to serving his coffee. 

Father leads me back to his study and closes the door. This is the first time I’m really aware of his study. The chairs are ginormous and his table reaches my neck and I'm just able to peek my head at all the sheets on top. The walls are painted a forest green while the furniture is the colour of tree trunks. I lay a hand on the smooth walls, marvelling at how cold they are. 

“Celeste, take a seat,” Father says, pacing the room. On occasions, he likes to gaze out windows when he’s thinking. There are no windows to be found. 

I place myself down on the chair closest to me and cross my legs, waiting. 

“Who are you?” he asks, taking a seat.

I’m unsure of how to answer. So I don’t. Instead, I wait patiently. 

“Celeste, it’s a simple question,” Father says, leaning forward, hands clasped. “Who are you?”

Still unsure, I say hesitantly, “Celeste Albus,”

“Good. That’s a start,” he nods, leaning back into a more relaxed position. “What are you?”

I answer that almost immediately, with no hesitation in my voice, “The heir,”

Father’s face curls into a smile. I silently take that as a win. “You will be the most powerful person in the kingdom. The most privileged,”

I sit up, wondering where this is going. 

“You will have everything,”

“Like new weapons,” I perk up. I had been begging my father to finally start my sword-fighting lessons but he refused to give me a sword. 

“Yes but not just that. You have food, clothes and a roof above your head. You will have everything at your fingertips Celeste. Not everyone in the kingdom has what you have,”

I wonder why he’s telling me this. In fact, I wonder why he brought me to his study and not tucked me back into bed. “Mama always tells me to mind my own business,” I remind him. 

“Yes that’s true,” Father nods. “But as rulers, it's our job to make everyone’s life a better place. If someone is sick, we have the medicine. If someone needs a home, we find them one,”

“So it's our job to make everyone happy?” I question, uncertainly.

“If we could make everyone happy, we would. But it’s not that simple. When you grow up, you’ll understand how hard it is. But our job is to make sure everyone survives,"

#2 Forced Proximity in Romance

This trope can be very complicated and thrown together in a way that doesn't work or a scenario that is magical and is the core of the story. It is rarely used as a singular trope in a story, instead its used to combine different tropes together. Nevertheless, it moves the story along quicker and always creates excitement. Most people, when they think of forced proximity, they think literally. Being stuck in an elevator together or having to live in the same holiday cabin for a certain amount of time. But it can also mean other things, such as taking a job together, being reluctant allies, etc.

Logically speaking, this trope takes two people away from the comforts of their own world, forces them to be in a position that they wouldn't normally be in and add a person who they either never thought they would have to be stuck with or never thought they would talk to, period. This trope is more flexible than others and it can throw two characters into the same position over and over again until they realise their feelings for each other. 

Forced proximity also moves along a plot point. If conflict arises, putting those two characters into forced proximity, it allows the plot to move along quicker. A book doesn't have to be limited to just forced proximity. In fact, this trope usually intertwines with other tropes. It works best with enemies to lovers or an office romance. 

Examples of forced proximity in film is: 

• The Hating Game (starring Lucy Hale)
• The Proposal (starring Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock)
• What Happens in Vegas (starring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz)
• Purple Hearts (starring Sofia Carson)
• Leap Year (starring Amy Adams)

Examples of forced proximity in books is: 

• From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
• Happy Place by Emily Henry
• Final Offer by Lauren Asher
• A Court Of Thorn And Roses by Sarah J. Maas

If you want to read about another trope, love triangles, click here.