Rewind. Theater. Before Death. Starting line. Script. Lost.
As I think I was trying to do earlier, I wanted to recall what lead up to my fantastical "suicide". Only coming to conclusions about my breakfast of choice that day. Not that it mattered but it felt important to my well-being during that moment of despair. I will most certainly continue that breakfast argument with Soma later. Oh right, that was her name by the way. I won't give her the pleasure of introducing herself. Crazy freak.
Moving on I really was in a down mood. Makes me wonder if my depression attracted my inciting incident for the day. Not that it matters, people tend to walk the same road in their heads no matter the physical path they take in life. Basically ending where they would have eventually. At least that's what I think.
Okay, enough splitting hairs over nothing I'll probably just creep everyone out by doing that. How would I tell this story to someone if they were standing right in front of me? Would I dramatize it? Or is it already dramatic enough? Oh well. I'll give it my best shot. Here I go, me.
"Fuck I snapped my pencil..."
"How did you even do that?"
I heard a talking head mumble out next to me as I cleaned up the broken lead and pencil bits. What kind of loser am I right now?
"You know most people write scripts digitally these days right?"
"Yeah, I get it. I just like writing with my hands okay?"
"You still use your hands with digital though..."
"Do you want me to toss pencil shavings in your eyes right now?"
I said with a sarcastic grin, probably. I wouldn't know, I couldn't see my face at that moment.
"I already know you use hands for both. I just meant the fun of writing things out with a good old paper and pen."
"But you're using pencil and you broke it."
"Do you want me to toss pencil shavings in your eyes right now?"
"Okay! Okay! You don't have to repeat yourself I get it!"
"Good. Now go back to tapping away on your keyboard. Digital boy."
"Lame..."
He was kind of right with that last little mumble. It hurt. But I resigned myself to being lame so I could be left alone. Was that lame too? Not like I cared. I became very good at blending in at this particular theater. Enough to stand out so they still see me when I go to give my script pitch, but quiet enough so talking heads (usually) leave me alone.
"Excuse me, do you have an extra eraser I can borrow?"
I felt another talking head tap me on my shoulder and start asking me for favors now. I take it back, I suck. Really suck. I can't blend in at all. Let's just get this over with and give them it so they can leave me alone.
"Yeah, here, I keep plenty on me-"
"Um...hello? What's wrong?"
Oh, cute. This girl is really cute. I stopped in my tracks and it's weird but I can't stop staring at her. Shit. Focus Garrett. Just follow through like you naturally would.
"Oh sorry I was just thinking how I have so many erasers so you can just keep this one."
"That's not what I mean...uh...you're sweaty...and..."
I see. I grabbed her hand when passing the eraser to her when I saw how cute she was. I haven't let go. Can I abort this side quest now? I don't think I have the proper stats to continue. I should probably let go huh? Let's put this plan into action now then.
"You take this. You take this and you use it for whatever you need. This is it. This is the eraser that will get your script accepted. I know it will. I promise you that. You hear me?"
"Eh...uh I see...I...will?"
A flawless execution if I have to grade myself. I should honestly have my script accepted too just for this performance alone. Fuck it. Cast me as my main character! I would kill it on stage.
"Good. Now go back to writing away towards your masterpiece. You gifted girl..."
I think I might shed a tear. I wouldn't be surprised if she does too. No worries. If she does I'll let her use my shoulder to let all the emotions out. I let go of her hand finally. Let us see the final act.
"...."
"Lame..."
Ah, I see. I'm still on a roll today. I should get points for character consistency of the highest degree. She even had the same mumbled inflection as the other guy. Maybe I really am the main character. I think I've shed a tear.
"Loomis! Garret Loomis! You're up next to pitch!"
The next great step for me. Sports. Baseball. I really could be a pitcher if I tried huh? I mean my wrist has been killing me I even snapped my pencil from how much I've written recently. I probably have wrist and hand-eye coordination like no other! Maybe I can set that as a backup goal.
I seem to be getting stares now. Let me let go of this girl's hand and move towards my main goal. I have a script to pitch! Possibly the most important one of my life! I stood up proudly with my script as everyone gave me respectful stares, so much so I could feel their gaze with my eyes closed.
"I have the pitch of a lifetime you hear me!?"
"Yeah okay, I just work volunteer hours so can you skip the monologue you've told me the five other times you've been here?"
"That wasn't me!"
"Mr. Loomis is coming in now." He spoke into the open door behind him.
I'm going to ignore the groans I heard back there and head towards my destiny. My fate. My future as a writer! I walked past the door...
"This is not bad..."
"R-Really!?"
"Yes. But as we've said five other times Garrett, we're not looking for 'not bad'..."
"But what's wrong with it!?"
"Your pitch is always great Garrett."
"Y-yes...?"
"But no one can read your script. Your handwriting feels like it was written in doctor signature."
"Doctors are really smart though."
"Yes, Garrett. Their signatures are always illegible as well."
I felt like my whole life was a lie at this moment. I thought I had hit the main character status. Was giving that girl my eraser, not an inciting incident?
"Well, what can I do about that...?"
"We already told you that answer five other times as well Garrett."
"Huh? What is it? I thought my handwriting improved a ton!"
"Write your scripts digitally already!" They all shouted in unison.
I could hear a particular talking head laugh outside the door behind me. Hope he brought some eyedrops. My pocket still has pencil shavings in it.
I left the theater. I've walked down these steps more times than I had wanted to with the same defeated sigh leaving my mouth.
"Now there's a sound of despair I remember!"
"Shut it, Amon..." I said with a small, annoyed chuckle back.
"Hey now didn't your parents tell you to respect your pretty elders?"
"I don't remember them specifying the pretty part....and you're only four years older than me!"
"Didn't know you were so rude to girls too..."
"Now it's about your gender!?"
"Oh and throw in disrespecting the homeless too!"
"Stop naming your character traits to tease me!"
I was honestly happy to see Amon. She was a slightly older girl that lived around here. Mostly on benches but sometimes she could get a fancy motel room. I usually just slipped her a few bucks for that treat. I met her through my many previous attempts at getting my script accepted.
"Hey what was that guy screaming about? The one who ran out here before you..."
"Huh? Oh, I tossed pencil shavings in his eyes for being a nuisance."
"Cool?" She raised her eyebrow with that remark.
"No, not cool. You don't have to make me feel better about that one. I already got the pleasure from his screams."
"You can be a little scary sometimes. Not sure if I'm turned on or creeped out..."
"I would rather it be the latter, especially from a homeless girl."
"You're being so mean to me too? I think I might be in love!"
I liked how she could joke around about such things given her situation. It made me a little sad for her, but she just seemed so happy all the time I thought it would just make her mad if I pitied her. But chatting like this with her did put a smile on my face even after every rejection.
"Hey Amon, think you can strum a song real quick? I've always wanted to hear you play..."
"Huh?" She said like she was confused.
"Can you not?"
"Uh since when did you have that idea Garrett?"
"You are always carrying a guitar case around!"
"Doesn't mean I can play guitar you dumbass!"
"It was a logical assumption!"
"Logical!? Assumption!? I don't even know what those words mean!"
"Amon you're homeless. Not uneducated! Stop trying to change the subject!"
These were the times when I wanted to genuinely hit a woman. If she could even count as one. Going by her worn-out loose clothes you'd think she was a homeless man, not a woman. I still have no idea how she dyes her hair red too when she can barely afford to eat sometimes.
"Blah, blah, blah..." She was trying to tune me out now.
"Well, what the hell is in that guitar case then!?"
"My clothes. Obviously."
"Oh okay. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Forgive me, Amon."
"Whoa...really?"
"No! Of course not! You only wear one pair of clothes! That's the weakest excuse I've ever heard!"
"Screw you! It's none of your business anyway!"
We argued about stupid things like this constantly. It was like our way of communicating almost. Like an old married couple that never signed divorce papers but lived apart anyways. I really did want to know what was in her coveted guitar case though.
To keep the rest of our conversations brief we kept on like this till the sun started going down. So a few hours at the least. It was chaotic, but a mutually beneficial relationship. She lifted my mood and I paid for her motel bedroom for the night.
"Heh well, it's pretty late now..."
"Huh, what? We were just arguing Garrett...why are you in such a calm mood now? Creepy...but arousing."
"You're the creepy one. My point is that I'm gonna head home now."
"Oh okay. See you. Thanks for the motel money again."
"Yeah, you emptied my wallet yet again. No problems here."
"I sense resentment Garrett."
"I sense the sarcasm in your voice, Amon."
"Yeah, yeah...now get going so I can go buy girly mags and masturbate in that hotel room you bought for me."
"Gross. But I'll dream about that image tonight. See ya."
"Later, dude..."
I think that refreshed my mind for the night. Especially that image she gave me with that last topic. What a nice and friendly homeless girl. I'm hoping she sleeps well in her rundown motel of choice tonight.
The small streets I take on my way home during the afternoon are strangely ominous but peaceful. There's that one street lamp that always turns on early, but flickers. The occasional dog that barks at me through a window. The lack of any people is always a plus too. Makes me feel alone in the world for a few short minutes. An apocalyptic world, but a world nonetheless. I wouldn't mind being homeless too if I lived on the streets around here. There's even this small outdoor arcade for the local kids. Claw machines and vending machines etc. I pondered grabbing a coffee out of one of the machines too as I passed by it. Though I remembered I gave all my money to Amon and gave up on that idea.
"Loner looking kid! Move!"
"Loner looking kid"? I would like to assume that voice is talking about me, but I haven't felt lonely at all lately. That term honestly felt hurtful. Why would anyone choose that verbiage when they're trying to urgently get someone's attention anyways?
Oh. A girl just passed right through me. Weird how I didn't feel it at all. Oh and she looks like a cosplayer. Normal people don't wear cosplay when phasing through someone. Is that a jumpsuit and skirt? Wait.
"That's exactly the kind of person who does that!"
"What are you talking about loner looking kid!?"
"Hey stop calling me such a weird name!"
"Oh, so you heard me the first time?"
She seemed fairly calm. What was she wearing on her face? More cosplay stuff? Colored contacts too? Really looking the part here. I should ask her about that soon. More interested in that than her phasing through me to be completely honest.
"Stop staring at me and run LLK!"
"Did you just abbreviate that weird title you gave me!?"
Needless to say, I was grabbed and pushed through the claw machine next to me. So she can make me phase through stuff too? I have made a mental note of that for later. You know I never knew laying in a claw machine full of stuffed animals was so comfortable. Let alone with a girl in cosplay holding onto me. Oh hey is this it?
"Hey cosplay girl. If you're planning on stealing my virginity in a claw machine, I'd at least like to know your name.
"No, not yet. And don't call me that."
"Well if you wanna save the intercourse for later that's fine too."
"Shush. I meant my name."
"Huh, so we're just gonna get down to it without formalities?"
"Dammit! My name is Soma. Now. Shut. Up."
"Huh kind of an edgy name. Fitting I suppose. You definitely look the part."
"I think I regret saving you now."
"Weren't we supposed to be quiet Soma?"
"You're one to talk. And I think she passed anyway so we should be fine."
In hindsight, this was a long conversation to be having while being hunted by someone who wanted to kill a girl who could phase through things.
"Huh who passed? You running from creepy cosplay photographers?"
"No. Way, way worse."
"Heh, what's worse than that?"
"Someone who's trying to kill me."
"A creepy cosplay stalker?"
"Wouldn't that be the same thing? And why are you so calm?"
"Because I'm being held by a sexy cosplay girl named Soma right now."
She was attractive for being such a freak. Though I did assume she wanted to have sex with me. So maybe that makes us even for strangeness.
"You know what? I'll let that one slide right now."
"Oh sweet really?"
"Only if you call me sexy again and buy me candy."
"Deal!...Candy?"
Oh shit. This had to be my inciting incident right? If it wasn't with eraser girl then it definitely had to be with cosplay girl! Oh, I can't wait for my main character status now.
"Why are you shaking and smiling LLK?"
"Don't call me that."
[Continued]