Experiments

Welcome to my experiments page, where I will bravely share with you some of my writing in its rawest form.  Some of these experiments will remain as they are, others may bloom into larger project, but suffice to say not a single experiment goes by where I don’t learn something from the experience.  I invite you to share personal responses to my work or feedback by contacting me, I just ask that you do so with the goal of initiating a respectful dialogue.  Enjoy!

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An Excerpt from Ripples.  This curious bit of playwriting was inspired by doing one of my own prompt activities, The Water Prompt.  I sat down expecting to tinker with a short scene, and by the end of the night Ripples unexpectedly developed into something larger that I’ll be working on more in the months to come.  What a great moment, to start with ‘just an exercise’ and to end with something bigger!  Just goes to show you, you never know what will spark the creative fire.

From “Ripples”

by mindy a. early

The sky is blue, and bright. The ground is barren, besides a puddle, no more than two feet in diameter.

A WOMAN gingerly enters. She takes a step forward. A computerized voice announces: “In 100 feet the puddle will be on your left.” The woman pulls out her cell phone to turn off the navigation. She looks at the puddle.

WOMAN

Great. That’s it? Time to cross another one off the list…

There is gust of wind. The water ripples and shimmers, like illuminated fingers beckoning. The WOMAN gapes.

 WOMAN

No way.

 She pulls out her phone again. She smiles.

 WOMAN

When the time is right.   Just like he said.

She kneels next to the puddle. She takes a deep breath. She lets it out. She watches. There is a rumble. The water glows.

 WOMAN

I did it. I finally made it.

She extends her hand, her palm facing down over the water. Nothing happens.

 WOMAN

C’mon…c’mon…Please. You promised.

The water bubbles. An arm rises through the water. The WOMAN whoops with joy.

 WOMAN

Mark!

She grabs the hand, pulling it toward her. A tug of war ensues over the arm, the WOMAN battling an unseen force. She uses both hands, pulling the arm as hard as she can.

 WOMAN

You can do it, Mark. I’ve got you. Don’t give up. Don’t let – GO!

The WOMAN wins the tug of war. As she stumbles back, she pulls a MAN out of the puddle.

MAN

Oh, wow. That was something else, that was…incredible. Christ, look at me. I’m not even wet!

 WOMAN

What the hell?

MAN

Oh, sorry. Must’ve left my manners in there. (He laughs.) What I mean to say is, thank you.

WOMAN

Excuse me?

MAN

…for bringing me back? Thank you?

 WOMAN

You’re not Mark.

MAN

Oh…

WOMAN

Where the hell is Mark?

MAN

Shit.

WOMAN

That was supposed to be his hand reaching out to me.

MAN

I know.

WOMAN

You are supposed to be him.

MAN

I’m sorry.

WOMAN

Don’t be sorry. Be Mark.

MAN

I wish I could be, I…well not really, I’m pretty happy to be me. Especially now, that I’m back, I…wow. (He triumphantly yells across the land.) I’m back!

WOMAN

Did you hurt him?

MAN

What? No!

WOMAN

Did you threaten him? Blackmail him?

MAN

No, no!

WOMAN

Well you had to do something. Because he and I made a promise. It took me almost eight years to keep it. And this god damn puddle? This took me months to find. Do you know how many puddles the average smart phone has in its navigation system?

MAN

Actually, no. Smart phones? What makes them so smart?

WOMAN

Why are you here instead of Mark?!

MAN

Oh. He, uh…(Silence.) He transferred the promise to me. I’m sorry.

WOMAN

He would never do that.

MAN

He did.

WOMAN

You can’t just transfer a promise, that’s absurd.

MAN

You can. There, you can.

Silence.

WOMAN

But…why? Why would he do that?

(To be continued…)

 

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