Short Story Excerpt: The Others - Scenes 10-12

Overview: https://kaylinrosealexande.wixsite.com/kaylinalexanderbooks/post/short-story-hero-s-journey-the-others-pt-1\

Previous: https://kaylinrosealexande.wixsite.com/kaylinalexanderbooks/post/short-story-excerpt-the-others-scenes-7-9

These scenes are all relatively short.

Disclaimer/content warning: just like the last posts, I still didn't portray mental illness correctly

SCENE TEN

(Rebel HQ. Jason’s quarters. His door buzzes.)

Jason: Come in. (Lincoln enters) What is it?

Lincoln: Aaron ran some more tests. Sadie’s brain has been completely altered. But here’s the interesting part: it’s hardwired in a very similar way to the Other that we have.

Jason: Which means...what?

Lincoln: It means that when the Others captured Sadie, they changed her brain patterns so she can think like them. Aaron hypothesizes she seems crazy because she’s a human who thinks like an Other.

Jason: Why would they change the way her brain works? How could that possibly help them?

Lincoln: (shrugs) Maybe because everything she says is nonsense to us, so she won’t be able to know what she was talking about. I don’t know, Jason.

Jason: What if there is a way to figure out what she’s talking about?

Lincoln: How?

Jason: She may think different now, but she didn’t before. She was a genius, so maybe she collected important objects, or maybe had some notes. Maybe there’s something in her hideout that could help us.

Lincoln: But don’t you think she would have been more careful than to leave things lying around?

Jason: It’s worth a try. And is it at all possible that she could’ve broken into their facility before?

Lincoln: She did leave several times, so maybe.

Jason: Then that’s something to go on. Besides, I can’t stand to be in her presence any longer. I think she’s the one driving me insane.

Lincoln: I’ll ask Sebastian if he can go with you to her hideout. I personally don’t think you’ll find anything, but it’s worth a shot.

SCENE ELEVEN

(Sadie’s hideout. Jason and Seb enter with scanners)

Seb: So, what exactly are we looking for?

Jason: Anything vibrating at the same frequency of the Others.

Seb: How do we know that Sadie managed to take anything? To the best of our knowledge, she first time she was in the Others’ facility was when she was captured.

Jason: But Lincoln watched her for a while. He said it’s possible that she may have broken in before. We also have footage of her near the facility.

Seb: How did she get past the checkpoints?

Jason: Maybe she managed to disable them.

Seb: But you and Lincoln don’t know for certain, right?

Jason: Well, no, but--

Seb: So, why are we here? We don’t even know-- (Seb’s scanner starts beeping rapidly)

Jason: You were saying?

Seb: I was saying your hypothesis was correct and you are a genius to suggest we search this place.

Jason: Uh, huh.

(Jason and Seb start searching for whatever the scanner detected. As they near Sadie’s makeshift bed, both of their scanners go off. The two look at each other and start to dig through the bed until Jason pulls out a purple tablet.)

Seb: What does it say?

Jason: (presses a few buttons) I don’t know. It’s in the language of the Others.

Seb: You don’t think that--

Jason: No.

Seb: You don’t even--

Jason: Yes, I did. Under no circumstances are we going to her again.

SCENE TWELVE

(Medical bay. Sadie’s sitting on one of the medbeds, kicking her feet, obviously bored. Aaron is on the other side of the room, looking at a screen. Enter Seb and Jason.)

Jason: (to Seb) This is a bad idea.

Seb: If it makes you feel better, I’ll ask all of the questions. You don’t even have to say anything.

Jason: (sighs) Fine! (he and Seb sit on the bed adjacent to the one Sadie’s sitting on.)

Seb: Hey, Sadie!

Sadie: Hey, Sea Bass!

Seb: Sebastian, actually. (he hands her the Others’ tablet) Do you remember this, Sadie? (Sadie takes the tablet. Once it’s in her hands, there’s a noticeable change in her posture and facial expression, and her feet are now still.)

Sadie: Say, ya wit. Ya rememeir. Snit si eths sell fuh law fuh veth wolbee svalvenet hani veth neshyevena.

Jason: See, Seb, it’s pointless. The only time she’s clearheaded is when she’s speaking in the Others’ language. She doesn’t think the same way anymore. Face it. The only person in the entire world who can help us literally had her brain rewired. (he stands and snatches the tablet out of Sadie’s hands. He turns to exit.)

Sadie: J-Gray! Smooth tangerines are running left in north Germany!

Jason: (to Seb) I told you. It’s just like last time, (he exits)