Longer short story
Niki Stahlberg
Kayla was sobbing. Her world had fallen apart all over again. She couldn’t take back the things she said or did, although she wished she could. It had been one year exactly since Joey had died and she still blamed herself. He haunts her dreams and is with her everywhere she goes, and she can’t seem to get rid of the image of his face inside her head. It gets worse at night time, since that was when it happened, and especially on cold, rainy nights. Now that a new school year has started, people don’t stare as much and it’s rarely even mentioned anymore, but if Kayla had a penny for every time she thought about his name, face, smell, taste or touch, she could buy all the heartbreaks in the world.
“Kayla! Hunny, its time to get ready for school!”
“Okay Mom, just a second!” Kayla said wiping the tears away.
She wished she didn’t have to go to school. The further away from people she is, she figured, the less she could hurt them. Ever since the accident, she isolated herself so much her friends don’t even bother calling anymore. Kayla is strangely okay with it, and doesn’t mind that the only people that talk to her are her family. They have stuck by her side throughout the whole ordeal. Although it’s hard to watch, they figure whatever can make Kayla happy these days is something worth keeping around.
Every day is always like the last. She does her morning routine and drives to school with her brother Greg. Kayla is a senior this year, and has been forced to help her freshman brother adjust to the crazy world of high school. She begged her mom for Greg to take the bus, saying that she wanted to get to school early every day and having to bring Greg would interfere with that. That of course wasn’t the real reason, but although she tells her family a lot, she does not tell them everything.
Her mother insisted she drive her little brother to school, and reminded Kayla of when she would get a ride from her dad when she was a freshman instead of having to ride the bus.
With the school now in sight, she couldn’t help but think of Joey’s laugh. He always hated coming to school. He never was the smartest kid, but he didn’t get into much trouble either. He just didn’t like coming. He always said that when he went to college that he and Kayla would push each other to go to class, but that it probably wouldn’t work. She always liked that about him. He was always joking, always laughing. He didn’t like life get in his way of having a good time. They both found that out the hard way.
-----
Totally isn't finished yet. I still need to think of where I want to take my character and stuff.
QUESTIONS FOR PEER REVIEW:
1. Do you think I need to tell what happened to Joey in order for the story to make sense?
2. Do you like where this is going or should I take it a different direction?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
55 Word Story
55 Word Story
"IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE, PULL HANDLE"
Tony walked by this sign every day.
"That's silly, of course you would pull the handle", he always thought.
As he stares at the flames rising in the sky, now all he can think is...
"So why didn't I pull it?"
"IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE, PULL HANDLE"
Tony walked by this sign every day.
"That's silly, of course you would pull the handle", he always thought.
As he stares at the flames rising in the sky, now all he can think is...
"So why didn't I pull it?"
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Final 10-Min Play
Vacation
By: Niki Stahlberg
INT. KITCHEN
[A MOM and her DAUGHTER are standing at the counter, shuffling through travel brochures and advertisements. A second DAUGHTER sits at the kitchen table, listening to her iPod and seeming “zoned out”. A MAN stumbles through the door, looking like he has had a bit too much to drink.]
BRIAN
Have you picked a damn place to go yet?
NATALIE
Dad, this kind of stuff takes some planning. You can’t just choose a random place to go on vacation. Especially a family vacation that actually is important to some people!
SUSAN
Brian, please try and have an open mind. This means a lot to the girls.
BRIAN
[rolling his eyes]
Fine, whatever.
ABBY
Lets go to Atlantic City .
NATALIE
Why? You can’t gamble. Or drink.
ABBY
[under her breath]
Legally.
SUSAN
I was thinking some place educational. With some history behind it! Like… Washington D.C.
BRIAN
Oh Jesus.
NATALIE
No offense Mom, but I’d rather go to Grandma Paula’s house. And you know how the smell of Aspercreme gets to me.
SUSAN
Alright, alright, just a suggestion.
ABBY
How ‘bout Vegas? Hugh Hefner and his girlfriends are making an appearance next month. We could check that out.
[BRIAN’S face lights up for the first time. SUSAN looks appalled.]
SUSAN
[to Brian]
Down boy.
SUSAN (CONT’D)
Absolutely not. How about some place wholesome. Nashville maybe? Come on, it’s Music City !
ABBY
More like Music Shi-
SUSAN
Alright! Well no one is making any appropriate suggestions maybe we’ll just stay home.
NATALIE
No Mom, I’m sick of this family just moving day to day like this. We need this. Am I the only one who even cares?
ABBY
Let’s go to Canada .
NATALIE
Why there?
[An awkward silence fills the kitchen. Everyone glances at ABBY, who is obviously lost in her music]
ABBY
What?
BRIAN
I’m going out. When you make up your minds, let me know.
[BRIAN exits the room]
SUSAN
I’m not sure there’s a place we could go that would bring that man out of the state he is constantly in. He just mopes around all day, totally in his own world.
ABBY
[snorts]
How ‘bout rehab?
SUSAN
That’s enough. Your father doesn’t have a drinking problem. He just needs something to do besides…
NATALIE
Let’s take a road trip! Go wherever. Go everywhere. I don’t care. Let’s just go.
[Desperation in her voice]
Mom? Can we please just go?
SUSAN
[tucking Natalie’s hair behind her ears]
We’ll figure something out Honey, I promise.
[NATALIE gathers the papers and exits the room. SUSAN and ABBY are left sitting across from each other at the table, ABBY still fully engaged in her iPod]
SUSAN
[sighs]
Do you have any serious suggestions?
ABBY
Those were.
SUSAN
I don’t understand why you’re so…
ABBY
[rips her earbuds out of her ears, as if she has just had a jolt of energy]
Because no matter where we go, or what we do, or how long we’re there for, nothing will ever change. We’ll come back home and everything will be exactly the way it was when we left. Am I the only one in this family who sees that? You can’t just take a trip and expect people to change, Mom. You just can’t.
SUSAN
Well what do you want me to do, Abby?! I cannot control the things your father does no matter how hard I try. Believe me, if I could make this all go away I would. I would in a heartbeat.
ABBY
That’s exactly what I’m talking about! He’s never, ever going to change. He’s been this way ever since I could remember and I hate him for it. I hate him for treating you the way he does.
SUSAN
You can’t hate your father.
ABBY
Well it’s not like he makes it easy for me to love him. When was the last time he took me anywhere? When is the last time he asked me how my day was? He doesn’t give a sh*t about anyone but himself and his precious bottle of Jack Daniels.
SUSAN
I know. God. I know.
[she thinks for a few seconds]
Whatd’ya say we take a girls trip? Just us and your sister.
ABBY
Again, it will be all the same when we get…
SUSAN
Who said we had to come back?
ABBY
[a look of shock on her face]
Are you serious?
SUSAN
[smiling]
Yes.
[SUSAN calls NATALIE back into the room.]
ABBY
No more fighting? No more waking me up in the middle of the night with tears in your eyes cause you’re afraid? No more holes in the walls from his drunken rampages?
NATALIE
What’s going on? What are you guys talking about?
SUSAN
Let’s just say, your father isn’t going to ruin your birthdays anymore. He’s not going to make a complete fool of me at the company Christmas party. I’m just sick of it. I love you girls too much to see your lives revolved around your father and his mistakes. I just can’t take it anymore. I don’t know how I survived this long. I don’t know how I let it get this bad.
NATALIE
But what will happen with Dad? We can’t just leave him can we?
SUSAN
Your father will be fine. He can take care of himself. Maybe this will be his wake-up call and he will finally change his ways. I’m just sick of waiting around for that to happen. Enough is enough.
NATALIE
Wow. Mom, I’ve never seen you take this much initiative. Are you completely sure about this?
SUSAN
I’ve never been so sure about anything. Ever.
NATALIE
I’m really proud of you. Not a lot of women have the courage to pack up their lives and leave. No one deserves to be treated the way he treats you. Nobody. We’re here for you Mom, we’ll be right by your side.
ABBY
Yeah, totally.
SUSAN
Well, let’s start packing up before he gets home. You know he’ll be stumbling in around midnight , so we have some time. Now we just have to figure out where to go…
ABBY
[smiling for the first time]
Can we seriously go to Vegas? We don’t have to see the Playboy chicks, I just want the $8.99 All-You-Can-Eat buffet and to see those crazy fountains.
END SCENE
By: Niki Stahlberg
INT. KITCHEN
[A MOM and her DAUGHTER are standing at the counter, shuffling through travel brochures and advertisements. A second DAUGHTER sits at the kitchen table, listening to her iPod and seeming “zoned out”. A MAN stumbles through the door, looking like he has had a bit too much to drink.]
BRIAN
Have you picked a damn place to go yet?
NATALIE
Dad, this kind of stuff takes some planning. You can’t just choose a random place to go on vacation. Especially a family vacation that actually is important to some people!
SUSAN
Brian, please try and have an open mind. This means a lot to the girls.
BRIAN
[rolling his eyes]
Fine, whatever.
ABBY
Lets go to Atlantic City .
NATALIE
Why? You can’t gamble. Or drink.
ABBY
[under her breath]
Legally.
SUSAN
I was thinking some place educational. With some history behind it! Like… Washington D.C.
BRIAN
Oh Jesus.
NATALIE
No offense Mom, but I’d rather go to Grandma Paula’s house. And you know how the smell of Aspercreme gets to me.
SUSAN
Alright, alright, just a suggestion.
ABBY
How ‘bout Vegas? Hugh Hefner and his girlfriends are making an appearance next month. We could check that out.
[BRIAN’S face lights up for the first time. SUSAN looks appalled.]
SUSAN
[to Brian]
Down boy.
SUSAN (CONT’D)
Absolutely not. How about some place wholesome. Nashville maybe? Come on, it’s Music City !
ABBY
More like Music Shi-
SUSAN
Alright! Well no one is making any appropriate suggestions maybe we’ll just stay home.
NATALIE
No Mom, I’m sick of this family just moving day to day like this. We need this. Am I the only one who even cares?
ABBY
Let’s go to Canada .
NATALIE
Why there?
[An awkward silence fills the kitchen. Everyone glances at ABBY, who is obviously lost in her music]
ABBY
What?
BRIAN
I’m going out. When you make up your minds, let me know.
[BRIAN exits the room]
SUSAN
I’m not sure there’s a place we could go that would bring that man out of the state he is constantly in. He just mopes around all day, totally in his own world.
ABBY
[snorts]
How ‘bout rehab?
SUSAN
That’s enough. Your father doesn’t have a drinking problem. He just needs something to do besides…
NATALIE
Let’s take a road trip! Go wherever. Go everywhere. I don’t care. Let’s just go.
[Desperation in her voice]
Mom? Can we please just go?
SUSAN
[tucking Natalie’s hair behind her ears]
We’ll figure something out Honey, I promise.
[NATALIE gathers the papers and exits the room. SUSAN and ABBY are left sitting across from each other at the table, ABBY still fully engaged in her iPod]
SUSAN
[sighs]
Do you have any serious suggestions?
ABBY
Those were.
SUSAN
I don’t understand why you’re so…
ABBY
[rips her earbuds out of her ears, as if she has just had a jolt of energy]
Because no matter where we go, or what we do, or how long we’re there for, nothing will ever change. We’ll come back home and everything will be exactly the way it was when we left. Am I the only one in this family who sees that? You can’t just take a trip and expect people to change, Mom. You just can’t.
SUSAN
Well what do you want me to do, Abby?! I cannot control the things your father does no matter how hard I try. Believe me, if I could make this all go away I would. I would in a heartbeat.
ABBY
That’s exactly what I’m talking about! He’s never, ever going to change. He’s been this way ever since I could remember and I hate him for it. I hate him for treating you the way he does.
SUSAN
You can’t hate your father.
ABBY
Well it’s not like he makes it easy for me to love him. When was the last time he took me anywhere? When is the last time he asked me how my day was? He doesn’t give a sh*t about anyone but himself and his precious bottle of Jack Daniels.
SUSAN
I know. God. I know.
[she thinks for a few seconds]
Whatd’ya say we take a girls trip? Just us and your sister.
ABBY
Again, it will be all the same when we get…
SUSAN
Who said we had to come back?
ABBY
[a look of shock on her face]
Are you serious?
SUSAN
[smiling]
Yes.
[SUSAN calls NATALIE back into the room.]
ABBY
No more fighting? No more waking me up in the middle of the night with tears in your eyes cause you’re afraid? No more holes in the walls from his drunken rampages?
NATALIE
What’s going on? What are you guys talking about?
SUSAN
Let’s just say, your father isn’t going to ruin your birthdays anymore. He’s not going to make a complete fool of me at the company Christmas party. I’m just sick of it. I love you girls too much to see your lives revolved around your father and his mistakes. I just can’t take it anymore. I don’t know how I survived this long. I don’t know how I let it get this bad.
NATALIE
But what will happen with Dad? We can’t just leave him can we?
SUSAN
Your father will be fine. He can take care of himself. Maybe this will be his wake-up call and he will finally change his ways. I’m just sick of waiting around for that to happen. Enough is enough.
NATALIE
Wow. Mom, I’ve never seen you take this much initiative. Are you completely sure about this?
SUSAN
I’ve never been so sure about anything. Ever.
NATALIE
I’m really proud of you. Not a lot of women have the courage to pack up their lives and leave. No one deserves to be treated the way he treats you. Nobody. We’re here for you Mom, we’ll be right by your side.
ABBY
Yeah, totally.
SUSAN
Well, let’s start packing up before he gets home. You know he’ll be stumbling in around midnight , so we have some time. Now we just have to figure out where to go…
ABBY
[smiling for the first time]
Can we seriously go to Vegas? We don’t have to see the Playboy chicks, I just want the $8.99 All-You-Can-Eat buffet and to see those crazy fountains.
END SCENE
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
10 Minute Play
Vacation
By: Niki Stahlberg
INT. KITCHEN
[A MOM and her DAUGHTER are standing at the counter, shuffling through travel brochures and advertisements. A second DAUGHTER sits at the kitchen table, listening to her iPod and seeming “zoned out”. A MAN stumbles through the door, looking like he has had a bit too much to drink.]
BRIAN
Have you picked a damn place to go yet?
NATALIE
Dad, this kind of stuff takes some planning. You can’t just choose a random place to go on vacation. Especially a family vacation that actually is important to some people!
SUSAN
Brian, please try and have an open mind. This means a lot to the girls.
BRIAN
[rolling his eyes]
Fine, whatever.
ABBY
Lets go to Atlantic City .
NATALIE
Why? You can’t gamble. Or drink.
ABBY
[under her breath]
Legally.
SUSAN
I was thinking some place educational. With some history behind it! Like… Washington D.C!
BRIAN
Oh Jesus.
NATALIE
No offense Mom, but I’d rather go to grandma Paula’s house. And you know how the smell of Aspercreme gets to me.
SUSAN
Alright, alright, just a suggestion.
ABBY
How ‘bout Vegas? Hugh Hefner and his girlfriends are making an appearance next month. We could check that out.
[BRIAN’S face lights up for the first time. SUSAN looks appalled.]
SUSAN[to Brian]
Down boy.
SUSAN (CONT’D)
Absolutely not. How about some place wholesome. Nashville maybe? Come on, its Music City !
ABBY
More like Music Shi-
SUSAN
Alright! Well no one is making any appropriate suggestions maybe we’ll just stay home.
NATALIE
No Mom, I’m sick of this family just moving day to day like this. We need this. Am I the only one who even cares?
ABBY
Let’s go to Canada .
NATALIE
Why there?
[An awkward silence fills the kitchen. Everyone glances at ABBY, who is obviously lost in her music]
ABBY
What?
BRIAN
I’m going out. When you make up your minds, let me know.
SUSAN
I’m not sure there’s a place we could go that would bring that man out of the state he is constantly in. He just mopes around all day, totally in his own world.
ABBY
[snorts]
How ‘bout rehab?
SUSAN
That’s enough. Your father doesn’t have a drinking problem. He just needs something to do besides…
NATALIE
Let’s take a road trip! Go wherever. Go everywhere. I don’t care. Let’s just go.
[Desperation in her voice]
Mom? Can we please just go?
SUSAN
[tucking Natalie’s hair behind her ears]
We’ll figure something out Honey, I promise.
[NATALIE gathers the papers and exits the room. SUSAN and ABBY are left sitting across from each other at the table, ABBY still fully engaged in her iPod]
SUSAN
[sighs]
Do you have any serious suggestions?
ABBY
Those were.
SUSAN
I don’t understand why you’re so…
ABBY
[rips her earbuds out of her ears, as if she has just had a jolt of energy]
Because no matter where we go, or what we do, or how long we’re there for, nothing will ever change. We’ll come back home and everything will be exactly the way it was when we left. Am I the only one in this family who sees that? You can’t just take a trip and expect people to change Mom. You just can’t.
SUSAN
I know that, sweetie. What’dya say us girls take a trip? Just me, you and your sister.
ABBY
Again, it will be all the same when we get…
SUSAN
Who said we had to come back?
ABBY
[a look of shock on her face]
Are you serious?
SUSAN
[smiling]
Yes.
ABBY
No more fighting? No more waking me up in the middle of the night with tears in your eyes cause you’re afraid? No more holes in the walls from his drunken rampages?
SUSAN
We’ll leave tomorrow. I’m sick of it too, baby. I don’t know what I would do without you and your sister.
ABBY
[gets up to go start packing, smiling for the first time]
Can we seriously go to Vegas though? We don’t have to see the Playboy chicks, I just want the $8.99 All-You-Can-Eat buffet and to see those crazy fountains.
END SCENE
By: Niki Stahlberg
INT. KITCHEN
[A MOM and her DAUGHTER are standing at the counter, shuffling through travel brochures and advertisements. A second DAUGHTER sits at the kitchen table, listening to her iPod and seeming “zoned out”. A MAN stumbles through the door, looking like he has had a bit too much to drink.]
BRIAN
Have you picked a damn place to go yet?
NATALIE
Dad, this kind of stuff takes some planning. You can’t just choose a random place to go on vacation. Especially a family vacation that actually is important to some people!
SUSAN
Brian, please try and have an open mind. This means a lot to the girls.
BRIAN
[rolling his eyes]
Fine, whatever.
ABBY
Lets go to Atlantic City .
NATALIE
Why? You can’t gamble. Or drink.
ABBY
[under her breath]
Legally.
SUSAN
I was thinking some place educational. With some history behind it! Like… Washington D.C!
BRIAN
Oh Jesus.
NATALIE
No offense Mom, but I’d rather go to grandma Paula’s house. And you know how the smell of Aspercreme gets to me.
SUSAN
Alright, alright, just a suggestion.
ABBY
How ‘bout Vegas? Hugh Hefner and his girlfriends are making an appearance next month. We could check that out.
[BRIAN’S face lights up for the first time. SUSAN looks appalled.]
SUSAN[to Brian]
Down boy.
SUSAN (CONT’D)
Absolutely not. How about some place wholesome. Nashville maybe? Come on, its Music City !
ABBY
More like Music Shi-
SUSAN
Alright! Well no one is making any appropriate suggestions maybe we’ll just stay home.
NATALIE
No Mom, I’m sick of this family just moving day to day like this. We need this. Am I the only one who even cares?
ABBY
Let’s go to Canada .
NATALIE
Why there?
[An awkward silence fills the kitchen. Everyone glances at ABBY, who is obviously lost in her music]
ABBY
What?
BRIAN
I’m going out. When you make up your minds, let me know.
SUSAN
I’m not sure there’s a place we could go that would bring that man out of the state he is constantly in. He just mopes around all day, totally in his own world.
ABBY
[snorts]
How ‘bout rehab?
SUSAN
That’s enough. Your father doesn’t have a drinking problem. He just needs something to do besides…
NATALIE
Let’s take a road trip! Go wherever. Go everywhere. I don’t care. Let’s just go.
[Desperation in her voice]
Mom? Can we please just go?
SUSAN
[tucking Natalie’s hair behind her ears]
We’ll figure something out Honey, I promise.
[NATALIE gathers the papers and exits the room. SUSAN and ABBY are left sitting across from each other at the table, ABBY still fully engaged in her iPod]
SUSAN
[sighs]
Do you have any serious suggestions?
ABBY
Those were.
SUSAN
I don’t understand why you’re so…
ABBY
[rips her earbuds out of her ears, as if she has just had a jolt of energy]
Because no matter where we go, or what we do, or how long we’re there for, nothing will ever change. We’ll come back home and everything will be exactly the way it was when we left. Am I the only one in this family who sees that? You can’t just take a trip and expect people to change Mom. You just can’t.
SUSAN
I know that, sweetie. What’dya say us girls take a trip? Just me, you and your sister.
ABBY
Again, it will be all the same when we get…
SUSAN
Who said we had to come back?
ABBY
[a look of shock on her face]
Are you serious?
SUSAN
[smiling]
Yes.
ABBY
No more fighting? No more waking me up in the middle of the night with tears in your eyes cause you’re afraid? No more holes in the walls from his drunken rampages?
SUSAN
We’ll leave tomorrow. I’m sick of it too, baby. I don’t know what I would do without you and your sister.
ABBY
[gets up to go start packing, smiling for the first time]
Can we seriously go to Vegas though? We don’t have to see the Playboy chicks, I just want the $8.99 All-You-Can-Eat buffet and to see those crazy fountains.
END SCENE
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