Characters:
JAMES: A wrestler, very calm and collected, except out on the mat in the spotlight.
SHADOW: A strictly rule-following entity, always carrying a large book, gets flustered easily
REFLECTION: A very nonchalant entity, wearing sunglasses and often found smoking.
SETTING: James is riding on a bus with his team on the way to a wrestling tournament. The bus is empty when he wakes up, except for a shadow; the shadow is carrying a book.
JAMES: (wakes up, yawns, and rubs his eyes)...(tiredly confused) Where is everyone? What's going on?!
SHADOW:
carrying a book under his arm
(creepily calm voice) Hello, James. Welcome to the reality
JAMES: Skittering back in his seat
What the hell? What are you? Where am I?
SHADOW: (calm and soothing) I am you, and you are me, this (pointing to itself) is us. I’ve always been here, but now the curtain between us has been lifted.
JAMES: So you’ve been following me around my life like a creepy stalker, and you chose now to be the time to show yourself? NOW? I’m literally on my way to the biggest tournament OF MY LIFE so far, and you choose NOW to reveal yourself?!
SHADOW: (now getting frustrated) You don’t understand. I don’t get to decide when to appear, you’re the one who decided to go to a stupid wrestling tournament on your birthday! I don’t make the rules.
motions to the book in its hand
The handbook clearly said to reveal yourself to your human on their 15th birthday, the only exception being if they’re in a coma, obviously.
JAMES: (angry and kinda grumbling) So if someone was at their grandma’s funeral, you would just bust in and interrupt everything? Or would you stop in at the florist on the way and buy a bouquet of flowers before scaring everyone else to death as well?
SHADOW: (laughing softly)It's not that easy; there is a process involved in interrupting funerals. I didn't read that chapter because I already knew you were on a bus.
JAMES: (exasperated) Ok, but what am I supposed to do with you now? I have a tournament to be at in...(checks watch) about 30 minutes, and I can’t just have you following me around like a lost puppy with that book.
SHADOW:
sinks to the floor and frantically searches through the handbook with tears beginning to run
(frantic and pleading) You don't understand! You're the one who is supposed to be a confused and teary mess! There is absolutely nothing in this handbook on the subject of complete acceptance!
Throws the handbook away in disgust
(sobbing) I HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES! I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THE HANDBOOK SAYS! I CAN’T NOT FOLLOW THE PLAN!
JAMES: (calmly and contemplating) You know...I don’t always follow the rules. It's ok to not do everything by the rulebook. You can-
SHADOW: (interrupting tearily) Handbook, not a rulebook, a handbook
JAMES: Ok, ok, you don't have to do everything by the-
REFLECTION: Enters out of breath
(pointing at JAMES) He’s right! You don’t need the rulebook! You can
JAMES: looks on, jaw on the floor for once
SHADOW: dissolves into tears
(sobbing) I don't need you REFLECTION, I’ve got this under control!
REFLECTION:
That is the biggest lie I’ve heard since my brother tried to convince me that he didn't steal my socks while wearing pink fuzzy socks with my name on them.
JAMES snickers
REFLECTION: Takes out a pack of cigarettes and plops in a seat across the aisle from JAMES
(in a chill and bored voice) I need a smoke, anyone want one?
Offers the pack around, JAMES shakes his head and SHADOW looks at it in disgust
REFLECTION: (taking charge)
Ok, here’s what we’re going to do, JAMES, give me your lighter, don’t lie, I know you keep one in your wrestling bag, SHADOW, give me the Handbook
JAMES passes over his lighter and REFLECTION lights his cigarette, takes a puff, and pockets the lighter with a nod to JAMES
SHADOW jumps up, snatches the Handbook, and runs off to the edge of the stage
JAMES:
Listen, I don’t know what's going on, but I’ve got a tournament to get to
REFLECTION:
Ok, let me explain. Everybody in life has an entity that follows them around, guiding and helping them through life, nobody knows or hears anything about other people’s entity, and nobody talks about it, because you physically cannot talk about us, if you try, you will hear yourself commenting on the weather in a suspiciously British fashion.
JAMES: (confused and exasperated)
But then how can I see you? You're not another part of me, are you? I’m going to lose you along with my marbles if I keep getting introduced to new parts of me
REFLECTION: (condescending tone)
No, no silly, I belong to someone else, he and I have managed to break the barrier of the Handbook, and I can now flit from person to person as I please.
JAMES:
You said you have a brother, who does he belong to?
REFLECTION: Hah, no, that was a lie
SHADOW: Screams in terror
NO! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE! ALL THESE LIES AND NOT FOLLOWING OF THE HANDBOOK, AND THE BREAKING OF THE WALL, AND (gasp) AND (gasp) THE... (moans) Oh, I just can’t take it anymore!
REFLECTION:
(scornfully) Calm down, dude, the Handbook is just dead trees with ink on it, you know, you really should have a smoke, it’ll chill you out
SHADOW slowly accepts the cigarette REFLECTION offers them, lights it with a shaking hand, closes their eyes, and takes a deep puff
SHADOW visibly relaxes
I want to end it with the Handbook getting burned, but I'm not sure what to do next
Comments
Wow this is really cool!
Okay, I have an idea or two: I kind of think SHADOW could start to resign and be like "okay well now you know who I am so the job is basically done. I'm out." though that does seem a bit out of character, especially if there are a lot more steps written in the handbook, which I'm not sure what they'd be. Actually come to think of it, it could be to threaten/scare JAMES into being good (even though he probably already is good lol) by basically saying "Hey I know all your secrets and flaws, and I will come back to haunt you with them if you don't be a good person" and prove that. Or it could be to (somewhat) control/manipulate JAMES into doing what SHADOW/the handbook want him to do. Then SHADOW would attempt just that (but obviously very clumsily), having very little effect on JAMES though who instead gets impatient and leaves for his game. Neither SHADOW nor REFLECTION can actually stop him (I presume) so they follow him to the tournament and oscillate between trying to regain his attention to cheering him on to giving him unsolicited combat advice/comments to doing dumb silly things. Afterward they find out that JAMES is busy for the rest of the day too which really psyches SHADOW out. Or instead of all that REFLECTION could just lock the bus door before he ever leaves or teleport him into a trapped room or something (because REFLECTION can practically do anything lol) and promises that REFLECTION can alter time so that JAMES wouldn't have to worry. Then REFLECTION could talk about how their kind are actually kinda in trouble and decides that JAMES will be the chosen one because, like, you have to choose someone and it's better to not be picky according to REFLECTION'S ideology (though SHADOW completely disagrees with that because the chosen one has to perfectly match the handbook's description. idk maybe it could already be burned by then lol). Aaand at this point my ideas are probably getting too complicated so just insert the book burn in there somewhere and cut out the rest
Hope it was helpful!
Log in or register to post comments.