Found this in an old spiral notebook. I don't remember when I wrote it, or what inspired it, or anything about it, really. I don't think it's complete, but since its very existence is kind of a mystery to me, I'll just post it as-is:
Look around, and what can you see? Ground. Rocks. Trees. Animals. The Sky. Touch them -
The ground is firm. The rocks are rough. The trees are sturdy. The animals are soft. The sky is... The sky is what?
You can't touch it. You can't be part of it; But still I try. I hate the Earth. I want to break these ties. I want to fly.
I'm going to stick with the embedding of just the audio files; Youtube is a bit of a pain at times. Anyways, here's the third act - it's starting to get darker, which doesn't necessarily fit the musical style of Styx, but I still think it works. Also, there's a majorly obvious song set-up in this one. Sorry about it. Inspired by the music of Styx.
Act III
(Scene opens on Lawrence, who’s talking on the phone with James. It cuts back and forth between them as they talk)
Lawrence: “YOU JUST LEFT HER?”
James (voice quivering): “I was still buzzed, and I panicked, and I –“
Lawrence: “BUT YOU LEFT HER!”
James: “Stop yelling! I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what happened, I’m freaking out here!”
Lawrence: “Did you call anybody or anything?”
James: “I called an ambulance after I got home, but I don’t know if they got her or anything… Lawrence, I don’t know what to do. I just left her there!”
Lawrence: “Ok, you need to calm down, and not talk to anybody about this until we know what happened! And DON’T tell Tommy; he’ll totally flip. Just stay calm and stay low, understand?”
James: “Ok, ok, I’ll try... thanks.” (he hangs up the phone, and slides down a wall, face in hands)
Lawrence (slamming the phone back down): “FUCK!”
(He rubs his head, stares up, and begins to sing “Crystal Ball”. The scene shows both Lawrence and Tommy singing various parts)
(A few days later, Tommy & Lorelei talking at dessert)
Tommy: “Lorelei, I’ve been thinking about something I wanted to ask you.”
Lorelei: “And what might that be?”
Tommy: “Well, I know your lease is up at the end of the year, and I was wondering if you might want to move in with me instead?”
Lorelei (smiling): “Are you actually asking if I will? Or if I’d want to?”
Tommy (sheepishly): “Well, yeah, I’m asking if you will. Lorelei, will you move in with me?”
Lorelei (smiling and kissing him): “I’d love to.”
(Lawrence and James talking in Lawrence’s apartment)
James: “Did you see the paper? There’s a thing about Kate… she died at the hospital last night.”
Lawrence: “So now what?”
James: “I’m leaving town. They’re going to know I was there, and I can’t deal with it. I need to disappear.”
Lawrence: “If you run, they’re just going to hunt you down. You know that.”
James: “But I can’t stay here. I just can’t be here any more.”
Lawrence: “Where are you going to go?”
James: “Don’t know, and I wouldn’t tell you if I did. They’ll question you, I’m sure; I can’t have anybody knowing. I just need to disappear completely.”
Lawrence: “James…”
James: “I have to leave. I’m sorry. Tell Tommy good bye for me.”
Lawrence: “Take care of yourself…”
James: “Good bye Lawrence.”
(Exit James. Lawrence’s phone rings)
Lawrence: “Hey Tommy.”
Tommy: “Did you see the paper?!”
Lawrence: “Yeah, I know. James was just here.”
Tommy: “What the hell happened?
(Lawrence explains)
Tommy: “Fuck man. And he just left?”
Lawrence: “Yeah, he’s gone. Wouldn’t tell me where he’s going either. I’m worried about him.”
Tommy: “Well, we’re not going to be able to find him. And that’s probably for the best… I hope he knows what he’s doing.”
Lawrence: “Me too, Tommy. Me too.”
(6 months later, in Tommy’s apartment)
Tommy (pacing, talking aloud): “I can’t believe this day is finally here! I’m kind of freaking out about her moving in, but I’m so excited too.
(Begins to sing “Lorelei” while moving things around, and helping Lorelei move boxes in. Song ends, and they kiss.)
The second act of my musical experiment. Had some trouble finding the videos on youtube, so I'm trying a different way of embedding them. If it doesn't work for you, then just fire up your media player and listen to them at the appropriate times. There's no excuse not to have them, in my opinion. Inspired by the music of Styx.
Act II
(Scene opens in a bar. Tommy and Lorelei are talking, James is flirting with Kate, and Lawrence is sitting at the end of the bar with a few other patrons.)
Lawrence (speaking aloud to those near): “Do you ever stop to wonder what it’s all about?”
James (to Kate): “Oh, there he goes. Get ready for some existential rant…”
Kate: “Does he always do this?”
Lorelei: “He’s been like this as long as I’ve known him; never seemed fully satisfied with life.”
Tommy: “Yeah, but it’s been worse since he lost his job.”
Lawrence (getting more animated): “… all just a rat race, you know? You get up, go to work, and come back, all for what? To make money? What are you going to spend it on, when you’re so busy working?”
James (loudly): “Lawrence! Buddy, come here. I think you’ve had a bit too much to –“
Lawrence (cutting him off): “It’s all just an illusion.” He climbs on a table, “A grand illusion!”
(Lawrence begins singing “Grand Illusion”, with other bar patrons providing backup singing and other parts. Tommy and Lorelei head outside near the end)
Lawrence: “Who the hell are we?”
James: “Ok, about time to get you home!” (whispers to Kate) “Care to come with me to drop him off?”
Kate (whispering seductively back): “I think that sounds like fun…”
(Tommy and Lorelei walking outside the bar, holding hands)
Tommy: “You know, if Lawrence is right –“
Lorelei (laughing): “Oh don’t you go starting on me too!”
Tommy: “Just hear me out, ok? I’m just saying, if Lawrence is right, if life is all just some illusion, well…”
(James and Kate emerge from the bar, supporting Lawrence)
James: “Tommy! We’re going to take Lawrence home. You need a ride too?”
Lorelei: “I can take him home, James.”
Tommy (to James): “You sure you ok to drive?”
James: “I’m fine, don’t worry. You two get home safe, ok?”
Tommy: “You too.”
(James, Kate, and Lawrence exit)
Lorelei: “So you were saying?”
Tommy: “Lorelei, if this is all just an illusion, I’m glad that I get to share it with you. I love you, Lorelei.”
(Music begins, and Tommy sings “Lady” and dances with Lorelei in the parking lot)
(Meanwhile, James has dropped off Lawrence, and is driving Kate back to his place. He reaches over to kiss her while driving, and loses control of the car. They skid off the road and hit a low wall, throwing Kate through the windshield. James, panicked, speeds off into the night.)
This is a poem I wrote on my personal blog a few months ago. Don't remember what the inspiration for it was, but it stems from some personal experience (rather than springing from my imagination). Figured I'd copy it here, to go with my other stuff.
Today, I accomplished nothing. I didn't study. I didn't read. I didn't clean.
Today, I sat. I played video games. I watched TV. I ate.
Today, I thought about the future. I thought about tomorrow. I thought about next year. I thought about the next 5 years. And I smiled as I did.
Today, I thought about the past. I remembered old friends. I remembered old memories. I remembered old feelings. And I smiled as I did.
Today, I accomplished nothing. But today, I accomplished everything.
Somehow, the idea to make a musical entered my head. I had bits and pieces floating around, but I finally was able to sketch out the basic story, as well as the songs I'd use. This is written in a play-like format, and the songs are embedded via Youtube. You'll have to use a bit of imagination for what all is happening during the songs, and it's all a bit campy and forced, but just go with it. The whole thing is more of a "lets just see if I can do it" kind of deal anyways. Inspired by the music of Styx.
Important Characters
Tommy – Works a desk job, best friends with James and Lawrence, and has been dating Lorelei since college. James – Actor. Very fun, outgoing person, and somewhat of a womanizer. Lawrence – Recently laid off from work, and has been fairly disillusioned with life lately. Lorelei – Tommy's girlfriend, a model. Kate – Another model the group meets partway through.
Act I
(The scene opens on Tommy, James, and Lawrence hanging out in Tommy's apartment)
James: "So Lawrence, any luck on the job front?"
Lawrence: "None man. There's nothing anywhere… It's kind of ridiculous."
Tommy: "I'm keeping my ears open at work for you. I'll let you know if I hear anything."
Lawrence: "Thanks man; means a lot. It's just frustrating. Unemployment checks barely cut it, and this can't last.
James: "You just gotta find somebody, look ‘em in the eyes, and tell them – ‘Give me a job. Give me security.'"
Lawrence, nodding: "Give me a chance to survive."
(The three sing "Blue Collar Man", falling back, silently into their chairs after the song)
Lawrence: "But enough about that; Tommy! How are things with you & Lorelei?"
Tommy: "Everything's great. Actually," he goes to a drawer and pulls something out, "she's going to be modeling in a pageant Friday night. She got us all tickets, if you guys want to go." (James & Lawrence cast sideways glances at one another)
Lawrence: "Ehh, a pageant? Not sure about that one there Tom…"
Tommy (smiling): "Dude, it's a couple hours of beautiful models. And did I mention that there's an afterparty?"
James (laughing): "Afterparty? With hot girls? Hell, count me in!"
Lawrence: "Yeah, that sounds much better now!"
("Miss America" is performed by the models during the pageant, and the scene cuts between Tommy, James, and Lawrence sitting at the pageant, smiling and laughing, and the pageant itself. In particular, there are lots of pageant shots of Lorelei, and of Kate, another model.)
After the show, the guys meet up with Lorelei and some other models outside.
Tommy (hugging Lorelei): "Babe, you were great!"
Lorelei: "Thanks. So glad you all could come."
Lawrence: "It was a lot of fun. Thanks for inviting us."
James: "Yeah, it was good. You did great," (he then turns to Kate), "as did you. What's your name?"
Kate (smiling flirtingly at him): "Kate. And who might you be?"
James (with a bow): "Sir Jameson the Incredible. But you can call me James."
Lawrence (laughing and rolling his eyes): "Oh please. Can we get going before he starts making up more names?"
Here's a story that's been on my mind for the past couple of days. My first attempt at a horror story, inspired by a real-life experience with sleep paralysis.
It’s late. Very late. I'm walking down a hallway in my house, the floorboards creaking in the night. Shadows dance along the walls, but I think nothing of them. I hear somebody muttering, and I focus on my objective – find that voice, and figure out what is going on.
I peer into rooms as I pass, but they're all silent. Until I get to the bathroom, that is. Suddenly, I can hear the voice clearly, and I begin to feel very uneasy. There's something extremely unnerving about the voice.
"I know what you did... cheating on the math test, sneaking out at night, stealing from your siblings... I know. You haven't been a good person lately..."
I try to stammer out a response, an explanation, anything; but my voice fails me. And suddenly I realize... the voice in the bathroom IS my voice. My heart begins to pound faster.
"What would people say if they knew? How would people feel? And more importantly..." the voice begins to change, becoming deeper, raspier, "what if you were to die tonight? If you never wake up, what will happen to your sinning soul? What will happen to you..."
The shadows on the wall begin to move – something in there is coming for me! Adrenaline combines with panic, and I sprint down the hallway, back to my room, slamming the door shut behind me. But why I've done this, I don't really know – that door won't stop whatever was in there.
Pulling the covers tight against me, I stare intently at the door, listening... I hear creaks of the floorboards, and know that it's coming. I can hear the raspy voice just beyond my door, and the sound of claws scratching at the handle.
Panicked, heart racing, I pray for help, for protection, for anything! The door begins to open, and suddenly...
I'm awake. Shaking, sweating, and breathing short, panicked breaths, but awake. 'It was just a nightmare,' I tell myself, and try to sit up. But I can't move. My body is paralyzed – only my eyes can move, darting from side to side, trying to find an answer... But there’s nothing.
It feels like a weight on my chest, like I'm being pulled downward into the mattress... and then I hear it. The raspy voice has started up again, muttering from under my bed as the sheets are pulled down and to the side, taking me with them... And there's nothing I can do.
I've had this story idea for a while now, and wasn't sure what to do with it. I'm still not sure, actually - it could be a series, or just a bunch of separate (but still related) stories. Until I figure that out though, you'll just have to make do with this "trailer" of sorts. Heavily inspired by the concept of lucid dreaming.
You know when you're dreaming, how strange things always seem to happen? The world you exist in, this "dream plane," doesn't follow the normal rules of our world. In fact, it doesn't seem to follow any rules at all.
Now imagine that you can consciously control this world; that you can be anybody, make and do anything you want... That you can master this dream plane.
For some people, this isn't just a fantasy. For us, it's our life. When we sleep, we take control of this dream plane, and let our imaginations run free. And while there are things about this we don't know or understand, one thing is certain – there is nothing we cannot do.
