I’ve adapted Treasure Trove, a quirky sci-fi script in which two sisters rush around an amusement park as they thwart a budding robot apocalypse.
This is the beginning scene, but it’s a rough adaptation. Whatever I thought of while I was fixing the format ended up on the page, and I haven’t had time to do any rewrites yet. Who knows how it’ll change by the time it’s massaged into something that truly resembles a book.
“I can do this,” Audrey whispered.
At least, Audrey thought of it as a whisper. In reality, it was something else entirely. Whisper implied speech, the actual formation of words. To form words required action, which, in Audrey’s current state of mind, was a rare occurrence.
Instead, what Audrey had done was allow a fragment of each word to escape from her mouth as she breathed. Then, of their own violation, those fractions surfed Audrey’s exhaled breath like dolphins surfing the crest of a big wave. The result was a whisper of a whisper of a whisper. It had required no effort on Audrey’s part at all and was entirely too insubstantial to be heard by the human ear.
Which, if Audrey had had the energy to think about it, was fine by her. The last thing she wanted was for someone to hear her. Because even as whisps of air, those words were a lie.
She could not do it. She was nearly incapable of doing anything.
When it came to confidence, Audrey had hit rock bottom ages ago. She had no confidence whatsoever. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
For the past few years everything she tried had turned to do had ended. Sometimes in failure, but more often than not, it had simply been left unfinished. It was impossible to remember the last time she had been able to complete anything.
To the outside world she was twenty, smart, and could look forward to a great career when she finished college. To the outside world she should not have a care in the world.
Obviously, the outside world knew nothing about reality. Because here she was, her head against the door of the exam room she had just left, wondering if the heart-to-heart she had had with her doctor had been a waste of time. He wanted to put her on some pills that he claimed would help her control her depression and anxiety.
As if drugs could make her a success.
Take care!