This is my flash fiction, short story (1800 WC), poem, and my audiovisual I turned in for English. I’m very proud with how everything turned out.
Flash Fiction
Acknowledge Their Pain
Nickolias was led into the throne room, where King Joyous waited with Rayner’s wife Silvestra and son Rylie, who stared at him with a neutral expression. He walked to the left where a bench sat, and chains locked onto so he couldn’t stand. The King stood and looked at him.
“Nickolias, do you know why you’re here?” Joyous’s expression severe.
Looking down, “I was told I beat someone almost to death while drunk.”
“Look at me when you answer!” He demanded.
Nick’s head snapped up.
“Yes, you did. I’ve been speaking with Rayner’s wife and son. They want you to tell them why you beat Rayner so viciously?” Nick started to look down, “Look at them! See them when you tell them why! Don’t disregard their pain!”
Nick looked away, refusing to answer.
“Answer me!” Joyous grew impatient. He approached Silvestra’s son and calmly held out his hand to Rylie.
He looked to his mother, unsure. She smiled and nodded to follow. Rylie took Joyous’s hand. He led him to stand front of Nick.
Nick was horrified that he would do this to him.
“Rylie, why don’t you ask him why he hurt your father?” Joyous made sure to emphasis that the child would be asking the question.
Rylie fidgeted, uncertain. Looking at his mother’s approving expression he stepped closer, “Why did you hurt my daddy?”
He struggled, looked at them with tears in his eyes, “Because I was drunk.”
“Then why drink?”
The boy’s expression mirrored his at that age, he lost his father. The pain intensified, “I don’t want to think about things. Very bad things, that happened to me.” tears streaming, “but it doesn’t stop me from remembering while I drink. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-” he inhaled deeply “-I’m so sorry!”
“Would you have done this if you weren’t drinking?” Silvestra asked.
“No.” he said.
Silvestra looked at Joyous, “Then I request continual probation for him, a life of sobriety. He drinks, he goes to jail for attempted murder. If he is truly remorseful, he’ll stay sober to prevent this from happening again.”
He was astonished, King Joyous agreed to the request. Being chained stopped him from falling over.
Sitting back in his cell while his rooms were cleared of alcohol, he had to face the fact he would have to face his flashbacks. It was a price he was willing to pay to stop himself from hurting anyone else.
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Short Story
Mort’s Journal
Date: Unknown
I’ve been around this man for only a couple days, and at first, he aggravated me to no end. But now, I can see I was wrong. Thanks to this man, I have something to write on. I think I should explain what I mean.
It started about three days ago; I was released from jail finally. I have no idea about the date because we’re not told the date in jail. I’m a Grimical, I was given reaper abilities at seventeen. When I was arrested, I was around constant light. Angels can move through the light. People think they’re teleporting, but they’re moving through the patches of light around them. We can only move through shadows. It’s only those with royal blood that can move through light and dark. They have a particular prison for them. I’m rambling, sorry. Now, let’s start from when I was released.
I heard scraping outside the door and a clicking sound. The door was being unlocked. The heavy door screeched as it swung open from its weight. The guards walked in, I didn’t know their names. They told me, but I never cared to remember, I just called them Idiot one and Idiot two.
Idiot one walked up, holding an electric baton. “Stand up!” electricity was intense as it hit my face. I quickly stood without argument, “hands out!” arm shaking from electricity hitting me. Still, I kept them in front of me as the ice-cold shackles locked onto my wrists.
“I can’t believe they’re letting this fool loose,” Idiot two grumbled while putting a lead chain on my shackles. “Come on!”
Almost falling forward when he jerked my chain, I had to quickly get my balance back. The light was blinding and made it difficult to see clearly, only able to make out the guards as angels since they wore white. At the time, it didn’t dawn on me what Idiot two had said. Only thing I could think about was keeping my balance on my feet that were almost numb from the cold. They kept the temperature extremely low because of all the lights around but only enough so the lights won’t freeze.
I was surprised from the warmth of Idiot’s two hands. Looking down, I saw a black box, “Go ahead, try and move through the shadows with this on,” his cackling sent a shudder down my spine.
It’s good he’s an angel, he’d probably be a mass murderer if he was a reaper. Though, I’d love to see him go into convulsions if he tried to kill someone.
“What are you grinning about?” unsure which Idiot yelled that. I blacked out after.
Pain was intense behind my eyes. Sitting up, the pain lessened as I slowly opened my eyes and saw the grey stone in front of me. Heard the crackling of a fire and smelled wood burning. Inspecting myself, I didn’t have my shackles on, but there was something tight around my neck.
“It’s on there for life,” a strange deep voice said behind me.
As I turned around, I saw a man wearing black clothes and a silver ring around his neck. The most unusual part was his hair was two-toned black and white. Weird.
He turned smiling, “I’m Skule! What’s your name?”
Way too cheerful, “Mort.”
“Awesome!” Skule bounced up from his seat, holding what looked like a stone plate, “here, you must be hungry.”
“Thanks.” grabbing the plate, I saw a pile of greenish eggs. “Why are these green?”
“Because I put some kelp in it from the marshes, they taste a bit spicy, I think it livens them up.”
Confused, “marshes? Is that where we are?” then used my hand to eat.
“We’re in the wastelands where they send exiles.”
“Why are you so cheerful?”
“Why shouldn’t I be?”
“We’re exiled, what’s there to be happy about?”
I wasn’t sure what to think of this man. “What is this thing around my neck? And how long have I been here? Why am I here? And with you? Are you supposed to watch me now or something?”
Skule raised his eyebrows, “you don’t know what the collar of eternal bonds is?” he pursed his lips and didn’t give Mort time to reply. “Okay. Here’s your answer’s; that’s a collar of eternal bonds. It can never be removed unless you’re beheaded. Second, you’ve been out for about eighteen hours. Third, you’re here because this is where the royal guards dumped you. The guard threw you in the water. I jumped in and grabbed you. You’re with me because I didn’t want to leave you since you had that big gash on your head. Anything else?”
Touched my head where he pointed and felt the stabbing pain. “Oh.”
“You can’t go back to the city. There’s an electric force field around the wastelands.”
“Good to know.”
I was Curious if I could move into the shadows, and did it just to see if I’d be electrocuted. Slipped in without incident. It felt like walking through a silk veil. Inspecting Skule’s timepiece in his body it showed an unusually long life. It’s unnatural for a Grimical to live longer than a hundred years, his showed he would live many more than that.
I popped out of the shadows in front of Skule and startled him, “What race are you?”
Wide eyed, “Your guess is as good as mine. I just know I’m part Grimical, the rest, a mystery. I was told my mother was a tailor for the palace, who was an angel. That’s it.”
“She never told you? Did you ever look into it?” Skule moved away then stretched and laid down on a pile of ferns. “Skule?” after a minute, I got annoyed,” Skule?” I picked up a small rock and threw it at him, he didn’t budge. I wanted to take off the top of his timepiece like I was doing a sabrage during a celebration. Angrily I stormed over to him, glaring at him with his eyes closed. Slipping into the shadows again, seeing his timepiece as a whole, and saw the scratches in it. That only comes from severe abuse. Slipping out of the shadows, still annoyed, “fine, go to sleep, jerk.”
I sat back down. I’m trying to have a conversation, and he’s sleeping! I hate being ignored. He didn’t move the rest of the night. Didn’t think I would after sleeping eighteen hours, but I guess a few more were needed.
The morning was bright. I hate the light. I should live in a cave.
“Morning!”
“Don’t be so perky with me this early,” I grumbled out of irritation. “where are you going?”
“To get food.”
“How far is the town?”
Skule turned and cocked his head to the side, “Town?” he burst out laughing and walked away.
I’m going to punch him. I was reluctant to follow, but the food was more important than my anger. We walked for about an hour, not using the shadows. When I asked why, he wouldn’t answer me. Then a horrific stench hit me that smelled like rotting-meat. We came to a bog full of dead animals.
“Please tell me we’re not eating that,” I was able to feel the bile come up.
Skule smirked, continuing to walk. After fifteen minutes, we saw a reptile fifteen feet long. It looked around as we approached, sniffing the air. That beast is enormous! I’m regretting never paying attention in school, so I couldn’t tell you what the stupid thing was. It wrapped its body around a nest of eggs.
I slipped into the shadows, expecting Skule to do the same. He started walking up behind the beast! Why would he do that? He’s was right by the animal now. Rushed over to the idiot to bring him into the shadows, but the moment I came out of the shadows, the beast lashed out. He still didn’t go into the shadows. I didn’t understand this guy. He’s going to get killed over an egg!
I decided to be a decoy and get him away from Skule. The beast hissed and whipped its tail repeatedly at me. The creature spit something hitting my leg, it burned, it was nothing to keep this Idiot alive. I turned to make sure he got away, and he was gone.
“Go figure I save him, and he abandons me!” then felt hands from behind me, and was pulled into the light. I was so confused. When I came out of the light, looked around and saw Skule, and he knelt, looking at my wound.
“You’re an angel?” angry at being deceived.
“No.”
“Then how did you move through the light?” feeling stupid as I asked that. “You’re a member of the royal family.”
“I don’t know.”
“If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have been able to move through the light.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”
“Didn’t you learn that in school?”
“No.” Skule finished tending to my wound. “The orphanages’ school didn’t do in-depth teachings. Just enough to get our abilities.” He sat back with a bewildered expression for once, “why did you save me?”
I smacked my forehead and could feel my eye start to twitch, “because you would’ve been killed,” sounding out every word very slowly. Skule’s expression didn’t change, “Why is that so hard to understand? And if you can move through the light, why didn’t you do that to get the egg!?”
He just stared at the ground, “are you going to try and kill me now?”
I was taken aback, “what? why would I try to kill you?” My head hurt from being irritated with this guy.
“That’s what everyone does when they realize I can move between both light and shadows; also, I’m a half-breed.” he turned away and looked into the distance, “It’s why the collar was put on me.”
“The King marked you a fugitive and were exiled because of that?”
“No. The person who owns the orphanage did. Then kicked me out. The guards questioned me; I couldn’t prove my innocence.”
“Didn’t anyone listen or stand up for you?”
He shook his head.
“Then why were you so happy when I first woke up?”
“The thought of having a friend makes me happy.”
His timepiece says twenty-nine, that’s when I realized this man probably never had a friend.
“Listen, I’m not going to try and kill you unless you pull a stunt like that again. Understand?” limping over to him, “Now, I’m going to do the cooking from now on, give me the egg!”
Skule’s expression went from confused to astonished. His mouth hung open for a minute before he jumped up, “It’s a deal!”
Words generated
Compound-noun- Tailor
Compound-word-Timepieces
Rare word- Sabrage(The act of opening a bottle with a sabre)
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Poem
False Reality
The verbosity, the intensity
like a nuclear explosion’s fury
saying your life is unnecessary
But in reality it’s sabotage
it tells you, you’re a wretched dog
in the false reality of a mirage.
Reality of hallucinations
mocking the tormenting demons
you appear as your image does,
They see beauty and integrity
someone bathing in creativity
but all you see is monstrosity.
Reality warped beyond understanding
telling you they think you’re nothing
always attacking and demanding!
You scream for them to scatter
to stop mocking as your mind shatters
you feel like mad as a hatter
as they say you have glamour
All you hear is the lying
the laughing and the scheming
the way a court jester is deceiving
You beg for solidarity
they tell you to see clarity
but actuality will never be reality
Dismantle them, and their words untrue
for they despise you, yes they do
they will leave, never to love you.
By: Stephanie Morante
Audiovisual
Stephanie Morante – False Reality- Visual – YouTube
New Rationale
With my flash fiction I changed a lot because this is how it was supposed to be written. I was nervous and uncertain, I have been creating this world and characters. This is the first time I wrote out this scene or anything about this character. Remembering this was the main reason this person got sober; he remembered the pain of losing his father to being murdered by his uncle. I said in my first rationale that this is a world I used to escape to, and it is. I know these characters very well especially Nick’s. As I said I was nervous and uncertain when writing this along with turning it in. I was not sure if I sure do a flash fiction that ended with so many questions than answers.
I talked to my Aunt and she encouraged me to write it the way it was supposed to be for my final portfolio. The child had a significant role in the scene, and I did not know how to put it in there effectively. I spent a lot of time trying to do it the way I wanted it. I realized I could have made my rationale shorter to make it how I wanted it to be in the first place, but it was not until later that I realized this. I wanted to explain myself that much in the rationale to give understanding of how and why I produced this scene and person. With that it took away from the story without my realization.
With my short story I again went to this world, but I wanted to challenge myself with a person who I had not explored very much in my mind. I have thought about this person and the reasons for them being exiled but I never gave a story to them. I was tempted to go with his granddaughter Lydia and her becoming a reaper, but I wanted to challenge myself by going with someone I was not as familiar with. I tried to change things so there is more expression in it. I also realized that I may overuse the semicolon way too much Haha, sorry.
My aunt read my paper and said the same comments as you did in the feedback area, I could not help but laugh. She said that in creative writing it is not used like it is in technical writing and I need to try and look at the rules for creative writing. That there is a difference between the two. I went ahead and made the changes that both of you pointed out. I was not sure how to add the background into the beginning as suggested by my peer without making it especially long. I wanted to keep it at the length it was at. This is not the end of me writing out this world.
With my poem, in my peer-responses they did not say I needed to change anything. I will admit I have been working on this poem for a while. I knew I wanted to do a poem about my mental health. I changed this several times and I started it before it was assigned to us. I started thinking and trying to produce something for it when I saw we had to turn in a poem submission. As I said in my other rationale, I did not want it to be depressing, I wanted it to describe the way my mind works daily.
I revised this more times than I can count. At first, I wrote it freestyle then I changed it to a lyric style. I wanted to bring awareness to this but not in a negative way, I want people to understand that those who have BPD struggle to control their mental state. It is something I have had to work extremely hard at for the last three years. Before then I always lived in a false reality because I could not handle reality as it was emotionally. So, that is why I came up with those characters for my flash fiction and short story.
It is why I made my visual element about my poem. I want to show how my mind works daily. I must constantly work at checking facts of reality and practicing mindfulness. If I do not, I will disassociate myself from reality and go into that world. That happens I will go about my day as though I’m there but really, I’m not. There are parts of my past that are completely blank because of it. I journal every day so I can go back to read what I did that day. It is also the reason I use the semicolon so much. I know I should calm down on it in my writing. I’m not sure if you know this, but in the mental health community the semicolon represents those who have struggled with or attempted suicide. I’m certain that I use it a lot subconsciously because when I see it I think of that.
I’m not sure what I would do differently with my audio-visual element. I’m quite happy with how it turned out. I found a royalty-free music for the background as my poem in being spoken. It’s not meant to be emotional, but it can be, it just depends on the perspective a person looks at it. I also wrote another poem this quarter for my Humanities class about the witch trials and this audio-visual gave me an idea to do something like this for it too. I think it would be interesting to do something like this if I continue with writing. While doing this I had to have my brother read the poem and ask his advice for what kind of artwork would be the best for certain areas of the poem. He is knowledgeable about art and I was able to find what I needed to with his help.
Now, I want to go back and explain why I said this is not the end of me writing out this world. I have been trying to write it out the past 4 months, and I signed up for this class to gain a better understanding of how to do this type of writing. My family had no idea about me not being there mentally all these years and that I really have no memory of a lot of things. They had no idea I was living in a different world entirely. I have been going to therapy since 2018. Through, it I realized I wanted to be a part of this world now.
So, to close the door to this one I want to share it with everyone. I kept this world private since I was ten years old. I’m done with keeping this a secret it has been a secret for the past twenty-three years. It is time to tell people about it. I have told people about it and at first, I was just going to write things down like an explanation describing a world. Though, there is getting to be a lot of pressure for a book series Haha. I’m not sure if I can accomplish that, but if my writing it out turned out to be a book then that is fine by me.
I really loved taking this class and it reminded me of how much creative writing can be fun. I usually only journal and it is not for people to read or analyze. I do not think about the rules or writing with it, I just do it. This class makes me want to continue to learn about creative writing. It has been so much fun to take. If I were not transferring to SFCC after next quarter, I would take 237 course you offer. I really loved your class this quarter and I would highly recommend to anyone to take.
