Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Who Says You Can't Start Again
After a long hiatus, which I care not to explain, I will be once again starting the series. I have made some tweaks and improvements.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Blog Maintenance
Hello everyone,
I have been sick for the past few weeks. I've decided to go ahead a create all of the episodes so that you won't have any interruptions in the future. Give me a couple of weeks to do this. If you want to receive automatic updates you can also click on "follow" to follow this blog, or send me an email. Thanks for reading.
I have been sick for the past few weeks. I've decided to go ahead a create all of the episodes so that you won't have any interruptions in the future. Give me a couple of weeks to do this. If you want to receive automatic updates you can also click on "follow" to follow this blog, or send me an email. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Episode 3: After The Darkness
Girls' Hostel - Dining Hall - Day One
A well equipped dining hall is filled with girls eating breakfast. The girls are all dressed alike aside from the color of their uniforms. There are many blue and tan colored uniforms. And there are a smaller number of girls wearing red, mostly older girls. MaiChelle and the seven other girls at her table are dressed in tan. While the other girls munch on biscuits, eggs and sausage, MaiChelle and her table-mates sit silently before empty plates. One of the young girls sitting next to MaiChelle clutches her rumbling stomach and whispers, "I'm starving." The woman sitting at the head of the long rectangular table springs to her feet and shouts at the girl who whispered, "Shut up! There's no talking allowed!"
The little girl begins to whimper. The woman whose long black robe which looks like a nun's costume complete with habit, sweeps the floor as she quickly walks towards the little girl. MaiChelle doesn't dare look in the domineering woman's direction. MaiChelle keeps her eyes on the empty plate that should be filled with food. The woman towers over the girl. She leans downward and gets in the crying girl's face. "And there's no crying either," the woman growls.
A bell rings and all the girls stop eating and quickly rise to their feet. A woman, wearing a white robe and nun's habit stands on top of a raised stage-like platform overlooking the dining hall.
"Sun Mooning!"
"Sun Mooning Madame Sister Rezzie," the girls respond in perfect unison.
"Today Daughter Dawning wants to share with us her first day of service."
A nervous looking girl of around 16 years old dressed in a red uniform tentatively approaches center stage. She peers out at the staring girls. Her lips quiver and her eyes water. She struggles to compose herself.
"It has been an honor to serve the elders of our great city Cal…," she hesitates, her chest rises. She peers over at Madame Sister Rezzie who peers back with fierce eyes. "One day, you too will have the honor of serving our elders. Do good obedience, do good thoughts and remake yourself in the image of our Gods."
The girls applaud.
"Thank you daughter," Madame Sister Rezzie says with relief as she applauds.
Dawning descends from the stage. As she passes MaiChelle, their eyes meet and there is an acknowledgement of some sort; but MaiChelle can't quite put her finger on it. Her eyes follow Dawning as she returns to the table of the red uniforms. The woman at the head of the table notices this and smiles, "Don't worry daughter, you will soon join her."
© Copyright 2009 -- All material published on this site is copyrighted by the original writer. No material may be used without permission of the copyright holder.
A well equipped dining hall is filled with girls eating breakfast. The girls are all dressed alike aside from the color of their uniforms. There are many blue and tan colored uniforms. And there are a smaller number of girls wearing red, mostly older girls. MaiChelle and the seven other girls at her table are dressed in tan. While the other girls munch on biscuits, eggs and sausage, MaiChelle and her table-mates sit silently before empty plates. One of the young girls sitting next to MaiChelle clutches her rumbling stomach and whispers, "I'm starving." The woman sitting at the head of the long rectangular table springs to her feet and shouts at the girl who whispered, "Shut up! There's no talking allowed!"
The little girl begins to whimper. The woman whose long black robe which looks like a nun's costume complete with habit, sweeps the floor as she quickly walks towards the little girl. MaiChelle doesn't dare look in the domineering woman's direction. MaiChelle keeps her eyes on the empty plate that should be filled with food. The woman towers over the girl. She leans downward and gets in the crying girl's face. "And there's no crying either," the woman growls.
A bell rings and all the girls stop eating and quickly rise to their feet. A woman, wearing a white robe and nun's habit stands on top of a raised stage-like platform overlooking the dining hall.
"Sun Mooning!"
"Sun Mooning Madame Sister Rezzie," the girls respond in perfect unison.
"Today Daughter Dawning wants to share with us her first day of service."
A nervous looking girl of around 16 years old dressed in a red uniform tentatively approaches center stage. She peers out at the staring girls. Her lips quiver and her eyes water. She struggles to compose herself.
"It has been an honor to serve the elders of our great city Cal…," she hesitates, her chest rises. She peers over at Madame Sister Rezzie who peers back with fierce eyes. "One day, you too will have the honor of serving our elders. Do good obedience, do good thoughts and remake yourself in the image of our Gods."
The girls applaud.
"Thank you daughter," Madame Sister Rezzie says with relief as she applauds.
Dawning descends from the stage. As she passes MaiChelle, their eyes meet and there is an acknowledgement of some sort; but MaiChelle can't quite put her finger on it. Her eyes follow Dawning as she returns to the table of the red uniforms. The woman at the head of the table notices this and smiles, "Don't worry daughter, you will soon join her."
© Copyright 2009 -- All material published on this site is copyrighted by the original writer. No material may be used without permission of the copyright holder.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Episode 2: After The Darkness
Girl's Hostel - Night
MaiChelle awakens, her back against a hard cot and her arms and legs bound by plastic cuffs to the bed posts. Dazed, she looks around, peering around the room filled with girls in their pale grey nightgowns, slumbering on flimsy cots. Her eyes widen with alarm and confusion as her breathing escalates and she struggles to free herself. She weakly calls out to anyone who may hear, "Hello? Somebody…" The plastic cuffs make a dull clanking noise against the cot's metal posts as MaiChelle continues, in vain, to free herself. A girl in the cot next to MaiChelle opens her eyes which look like large black pearls set against her cinnamon skin. She presses her index finger against her dark lips, "Shhhh…they'll hear you," she says. The girl carefully crawls out of bed and perches at the edge of MaiChelle's cot. She peers down at MaiChelle's bruised face which scrunches in fear and pain. "They always tie the new girls up," she says. MaiChelle looks terrified at the girl's comment. The girl is surprised by MaiChelle's terror. She chuckles.
"You ain't from around here, is you?" she says. "Don't worry, you be alright…as long as you behave…whatcha' in for?"
MaiChelle is a little taken off by the question. "Nothing! I haven't done anything wrong! What is this, some type of prison?!"
The girl giggles. "Depend on who you ask? Go like this…" The girl demonstrates her request by grinning widely, baring all of her teeth which are crooked, stained and cracked. MaiChelle imitates the girl, revealing a set of perfectly straight and perfectly white teeth. The girl nods in approval. "Wow! Somebody gonna' get approved and promoted for sure! That one, this is true. You den' put a few notches in somebody's belt. That's for sure!" The girl laughs.
MaiChelle becomes very still, her face serious and inquisitive. "What is this place?" The girl stops laughing, her face matching and even surpassing MaiChelle's seriousness. "Look here new girl…" She hesitates as she sizes MaiChelle up. "You really don't know why you here, do you?"
"If you can just cut me loose, I can just leave," MaiChelle says.
The girl explodes into mocking laughter. "What?! And go where?!" The girl examines MaiChelle closely, climbing out of the bed and circling around her, closely looking at everything about MaiChelle. She looks at her expensive clothing, her new shoes, her perfectly manicured fingers, and the frightened look on her face. And then the girl's face lightens with a smile of victory, "Ha! A fallen angel!"
The girl, springs onto the bed, straddling MaiChelle's body and sitting on her chest. "Get off of me! You're hurting me!" MaiChelle yells, waking the other girls in the room who quickly gather around, hungry for violence. The girl viciously leans into MaiChelle's face, "How does it feel to be down in the dirt with the rest of us, fallen angel?!" The other girls who have gathered about the cot, cheer her own. A light fills the room. A woman stands in the doorway of the dormitory. The girls scatter, running back to their cots. "Kyra! Get back in your bed!" the woman yells across the room. Kyra climbs off of MaiChelle and returns to her bed. "Anymore disturbances tonight and you're all going to regret it!" the woman threatens. She slams the door shut.
DARKNESS.
© Copyright 2009 -- All material published on this site is copyrighted by the original writer. No material may be used without permission of the copyright holder.
MaiChelle awakens, her back against a hard cot and her arms and legs bound by plastic cuffs to the bed posts. Dazed, she looks around, peering around the room filled with girls in their pale grey nightgowns, slumbering on flimsy cots. Her eyes widen with alarm and confusion as her breathing escalates and she struggles to free herself. She weakly calls out to anyone who may hear, "Hello? Somebody…" The plastic cuffs make a dull clanking noise against the cot's metal posts as MaiChelle continues, in vain, to free herself. A girl in the cot next to MaiChelle opens her eyes which look like large black pearls set against her cinnamon skin. She presses her index finger against her dark lips, "Shhhh…they'll hear you," she says. The girl carefully crawls out of bed and perches at the edge of MaiChelle's cot. She peers down at MaiChelle's bruised face which scrunches in fear and pain. "They always tie the new girls up," she says. MaiChelle looks terrified at the girl's comment. The girl is surprised by MaiChelle's terror. She chuckles.
"You ain't from around here, is you?" she says. "Don't worry, you be alright…as long as you behave…whatcha' in for?"
MaiChelle is a little taken off by the question. "Nothing! I haven't done anything wrong! What is this, some type of prison?!"
The girl giggles. "Depend on who you ask? Go like this…" The girl demonstrates her request by grinning widely, baring all of her teeth which are crooked, stained and cracked. MaiChelle imitates the girl, revealing a set of perfectly straight and perfectly white teeth. The girl nods in approval. "Wow! Somebody gonna' get approved and promoted for sure! That one, this is true. You den' put a few notches in somebody's belt. That's for sure!" The girl laughs.
MaiChelle becomes very still, her face serious and inquisitive. "What is this place?" The girl stops laughing, her face matching and even surpassing MaiChelle's seriousness. "Look here new girl…" She hesitates as she sizes MaiChelle up. "You really don't know why you here, do you?"
"If you can just cut me loose, I can just leave," MaiChelle says.
The girl explodes into mocking laughter. "What?! And go where?!" The girl examines MaiChelle closely, climbing out of the bed and circling around her, closely looking at everything about MaiChelle. She looks at her expensive clothing, her new shoes, her perfectly manicured fingers, and the frightened look on her face. And then the girl's face lightens with a smile of victory, "Ha! A fallen angel!"
The girl, springs onto the bed, straddling MaiChelle's body and sitting on her chest. "Get off of me! You're hurting me!" MaiChelle yells, waking the other girls in the room who quickly gather around, hungry for violence. The girl viciously leans into MaiChelle's face, "How does it feel to be down in the dirt with the rest of us, fallen angel?!" The other girls who have gathered about the cot, cheer her own. A light fills the room. A woman stands in the doorway of the dormitory. The girls scatter, running back to their cots. "Kyra! Get back in your bed!" the woman yells across the room. Kyra climbs off of MaiChelle and returns to her bed. "Anymore disturbances tonight and you're all going to regret it!" the woman threatens. She slams the door shut.
DARKNESS.
© Copyright 2009 -- All material published on this site is copyrighted by the original writer. No material may be used without permission of the copyright holder.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Episode 1: After The Darkness
Calcane City - Living Unit #4355698Whimpering. Terror filled whimpering of 14 year old MaiChelle fills the small, dark closet. MaiChelle's frail hands tightly grip the doorknob, holding it closed.
A scream from outside stops MaiChelle's whimpering. Feet loudly, desperately race towards MaiChelle's closet. Someone tries to open the closet door. MaiChelle grips the doorknob tighter. With all of her strength, she struggles to secure the door.
"Open up! Please MaiChelle!," a young girlish voice pleads from the other side of the door.
MaiChelle hesitates and peers through a small hole in the door. It's her sister.
"Mila?" MaiChelle queries with fear and hesitance.
MaiChelle frantically looks around the closet; but the space is so small she can only move her eyes, not her head. There is no space.
MaiChelle begins to sob in defeat.
"Mila…I can't…there's no room."
Mila lets out a glass shattering scream of anguish.
"Please! Big Sister, please open the door!"
"I can't…"
Mila crumbles onto the floor, pressing her head against the door of the closet and crying.
"Why?" she pleads.
"There's no room…Mila, you got to find someplace else to hide." MaiChelle says, fighting back her tears.
"I can't. I'm scared," Mila cries.
"I'm scared too."
"Please MaiChelle, let me in. Let me in!" she yells as she yanks at the doorknob.
The sounds of men, angry voices slowly close in on Mila and MaiChelle.
Frantic and terrified, Mila screams, "They're coming! I don't want to die! MaiChelle!"
MaiChelle grips the door tighter. Her muscles tighten. Her eyes are wild with terror. Mila desperately struggles to open the closet door; but fails. Finally, she stops. She just stands there, staring at the closet. MaiChelle watches her through the small hole in the door.
The angry men's voices get closer.
"Don't worry big sister, I won't tell," Mila says in a now calm, resolute voice as she walks away from the closet and towards the door leading to the hallway. She turns briefly towards the closet, "I love you."
Two men with angry voices enter the room. Their eyes glitter with excitement when they see Mila. Mila drops to her knees, head bowed, sobbing, trembling with terror.
MaiChelle strains her eyes to peer at Mila and the angry men through the crack in the closet door.
Thomas, a haggard looking man with wild green eyes and a coarse beard, greedily leers at Mila. A machete dangles in his ungloved hand.
Mila whimpers, "Please."
MaiChelle's breathing is rapid and heavy with fear as she watches the trio from the darkness of the closet. Thomas, reaches down and clutches Mila's long black braids and yanks her up to face him, eye to eye. He sneers at her, looking, but not quite seeing HER, he says "She might be worth something." Mila's lips quiver with grief.
"Please," she pleads weakly.
This pleading seems to please Thomas, who breaks into a toothy grin.
"Maybe we should take a closer look," he says almost laughing as he rips the buttons from her blouse. Mila screams and lashes out wildly, striking Thomas on his nose. Blood splatters.
Thomas writhes in pain.
Mila staggers backward in fear.
Thomas slowly composes himself, his eyes intense with rage. Machete raised, he roars, ready for the kill.
"No!" MaiChelle yells as she bursts out of her hiding place. "No" she yells, almost commands as she throws her body over her sister.
Shocked, surprised and a little amused, Thomas bellows with laughter. He looks at his partner who simply smiles and grins at the girls. "Well look what he got here! Two for the price of one," Thomas quips. His partner nods in agreement. But suddenly Thomas stops laughing as he kicks MaiChelle in the face, sending her onto her back. Exposed, Mila cowers in the corner. Thomas, slowly, menancely walks towards Mila. He pats his bloody nose and peers at his bloodstained hand. His anger grows and his angry eyes intensify.
"Please" Mila pleads again as she cowers in the corner. Thomas raises his machete. He slashes her.
DARKNESS.
Join the After The Darkness mailing list by sending an email to: afterthedark2009@gmail.com
© Copyright 2009 -- All material published on this site is copyrighted by the original writer. No material may be used without permission of the copyright holder.
The World Of After The Darkness
The year is 120 A.T.D., 120 years after the sun's rays became blocked by black and grey clouds of pollution. Most of the time it is dark, much like a moonless night. There is a shortage of everything, food, water, shelter and heat. It is always cold, never warmer than 20 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the summer and 40 degrees below zero in the dead of winter; it snows, all year around. Poverty is rampant and people now live with extended family in small, insulated apartments struggling just to stay warm, fed and safe. The government is run by the military, police and a small elite class who have power over food, heat, shelter and safety. In this society, there is a scarcity of everything that humanity requires creating a society of freemen and slaves. Fourteen-year-old MaiChelle has been lucky to be born into a family employed in the heating industry placing her amongst the privileged, that is until now…
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