story contest entry

Instructions

SILENCE OF THE RAVEN - CAPTAIN AYLEN'S STORY AT RISE: AYLEN, CAZ and some NARRATORS take up shovels and begin to dig. AYLEN’S DRAGON and CAZ’S RAVEN always remain close by. While the scene ranges from somber to upbeat, the whole story should be carried along to a rock-type background music. PRISON GUARDS watch from aside. NARRATOR Once a year, Silence falls on the land of Erebus. NARRATOR That silence steals away every member of a House but one. One who is too flawed to be taken to the haven of Asphodel. NARRATOR These survivors are rejected by society. They are slaves inside Erebus’s prisons, working at mills, factories, or like young Aylen, crematoriums. NARRATOR One day, while shoveling ash at the crematorium, the sole survivor of the House of the Dragon discovered- AYLEN Bones. Pale shards in the ash. The fragments of a dragon’s skull. A young dragon’s skull. NARRATOR What was more, she recognized the bones. AYLEN My sister… These bones belonged to my sister’s dragon. NARRATOR In Erebus, one is linked in life and death to their familiar. So Aylen knew… AYLEN She’s dead. My sister’s been killed. No. Murdered. By the Silence! Lies! All of it! I knew it. They don’t take people to Asphodel. There is no better world up there for the lucky Silenced. Only death. NARRATOR The Crematorium was full of other Silence survivors. In the night, Aylen tried to rally them to her cause. But only one joined her. CAZ [Shakes AYLEN’S hand.] Caz. Caz of House Raven. I want to avenge my brother. AYLEN And I my sister. Aylen of House Dragon. Lets go rescue our families. NARRATOR Rebellious words, which were easier said than done. [Cue the epic music. AYLEN and CAZ get into a fight with the PRISON GUARDS. And… They loose badly.] NARRATOR Escape did not come easy. Months passed of failed attempts. Slowly, Aylen and Caz forged a new plan. A big one. With jet engines and a lot of metal. And duct tape. Lots, and lots of duct tape. [Boom. The stage becomes their space ship.] CAZ Are you sure this thing is going to fly? AYLEN Nope. CAZ And who’s going to be the captain? AYLEN Me. CAZ So that makes me first mate. I can live with that. AYLEN Nope. Squawk’s the first mate. CAZ Wait- Why’s the robotic parrot the first mate? And did you seriously name him Squawk? AYLEN No time to talk. Arm yourself. [She tosses him a bucket of cabbages and takes a blaster for herself.] CAZ Hey why do you get the blaster- AYLEN BEHIND YOU! [Fighting music resumes. CAZ and AYLEN defend their ship from the PRISON GUARDS and escape.] CAZ We actually got out. WE GOT OUT! AYLEN Work’s not done yet. CAZ What’s next? AYLEN We take down the Silence. [The montage resumes. As they search for Asphodel, the team fights several Silence sympathizers. Again. And again.] CAZ Aylen, are you sure this is right? These people aren’t the Silence. They’re only human, like us. AYLEN They follow the orders of the Silence. CAZ But isn’t killing them still wrong? AYLEN Isn’t killing and ripping apart families also wrong? The Silencing needs to end. To save millions of lives, a few must be sacrificed. It’s the only way. CAZ But- AYLEN Do you want to avenge your family? Your brother? CAZ Yes. AYLEN Then this is the only way. NARRATOR [Cue yet more fighting.] And so they fought. And killed. Through hundreds of Silence sympathizers. Thieving and pirating their way along. Until finally, they reached Asphodel. [The space ship dissipates into Asphodel- a beautiful, peaceful place.] CAZ Y’know, this place does sort of look like heaven. It’s so… peaceful. Bright trees, calm rivers… And that village over there… Those people look happy. Not dead.