If I Ever -Casting

If I ever write a book that gets optioned for a movie, when the casting comes around. I think it would be interesting to open it to everyone.
There's so much in the media about 'white washing' roles recently, it would be nice to just see....see what would happen if it was fully open casting. Not looking for specific physical characteristics but embodies the heart and soul of the character.

I have no idea how the casting process actually works.
I mean, unless I specifically write it in the contract that I can sit in on auditions, I probably wouldn't have a say whatsoever in who got what role...
Or How these roles are marketed.
How people find out about them.....

I would maybe give a basic plot of the book in the casting thing?
Say "Troubled young man, looking to redeem himself from being called a traitor. All actors welcome." or something like that.
And see who shows up.
Who embodies the character that I've spent time and effort to create and bring to life. Who would be the 'match.'

From the Ashes

"Have you ever watched the sunrise?" I asked when I sensed he was within earshot.
"Can't say I have, Rich." He said settling down on a log next to me. "Do you always choose to watch the sun rise sitting in the dirt?"
I shrugged. "No, just felt appropriate today."
"Appropriate?"
I jerked a thumb behind me. "Not just any person can manage to burn an entire city in one night." I said ruefully.
"If I recall, that was the dragon."
I rolled my eyes. "Dragon, is that what they call it? Not a man gone mad with power?"
"You don't look mad, Rich."
"Mad enough to sit in the dirt."
"Foolish enough to catch a chill sitting in the dirt."
"Like I can get cold." I muttered. I didn't think I'd miss the days I'd spent shivering through the winter nights, hoping to live until morning. It was why I looked out for the sunrise. To know I'd survived another day.
He grabbed my shoulder, shaking it gently. "You can recover from this Rich. All is not lost."
"Tell that to the citizens of Hensville"
"Like I said..."
"Right, a dragon burned their homes to the ground." I shrugged his grip off of me, as I pushed to my feet, brushing myself off. "I guess we'll see if this Dragon, can help build something for once instead of creating more ashes."

-Inspiration....seeing a sunrise in the movie Henry V

Over His Head

My Dad is oblivious.
There's no denying that. Once he steps inside the door at home, he's totally clocked out. Straight to the TV for the news. Then to the dinner table where he buries his face in his tablet for more news, and then off to bed.
Other than that? Nothing. I managed to get away with my allowance three days in a row because he doesn't pay attention to me.

But, I didn't think he was so oblivious that he didn't realize I actually lived there. That he had a son. How could one not know that they had a son?
That's my dad for you. Captain Oblivious. How my Mom has stayed married to him for all these years I'll never know. Perhaps when I'm not home things are different. Maybe he's purposely trying to forget that I exist.
Its not like I'm an evil super villain or anything. I've stayed a pretty decent kid. Trying my best to get him to notice me.
For nothing apparently.
If he'd noticed me, then he wouldn't have called the cops on his own son, wouldn't have had me arrest, or end up in jail waiting for the chance to call Mom and explain to her that Dad doesn't know who I am.
That's going to be a fun conversation....

-Inspiration from Megamind -Metroman's father -wondering how long it took him to realize he had a son.

A New Place

"I need you to do something for me." I whispered, "We can't let him win."
"And we won't." He promised, grabbing hold of my hand, holding onto it tightly as I weakly squeezed it in return. His touch, like a life line I could hold onto. "You're going to recover, you'll be out of this hospital before you can say Abracadabra"
I chuckled, wincing at the pain in my side. "Abracadabra." I mumbled, closing my eyes. Gathering up the strength. In all seriousness, I was in serious condition. "If I make it through."
"When you make it through." He said. He always looked on the bright side.
"Then....I don't want to do it here."
"....Where would you want to recover?"
I stared into his beautiful brown eyes. "You remember that dream?"
He blinked. "Our dream?"
I managed a nod.
"The one before....all this?"
I nodded again.
He smirked. "Nope, totally forgotten it."
I chuckled. "If I weren't so weak I'd smack you."
He smiled, squeezing my hand. "I'll put in a raincheck for you."
"Good....."
His thumb rubbed the back of my hand. "You want to leave town?" He asked in a low tone. Glancing to the hospital door. "Start over?"
I nodded. "Yes."
He stayed quiet for too long. "You know....I can't go with you."
My heart fluttered, the monitor showing my spasm. I wanted him to come. Hoped he'd come, but I too knew he couldn't. "Not yet, but in the future."
"Maybe....I can't promise anything." He exhaled, leaning forward to brush my cheek. "You sure you want to disappear to there?"
"Yes."
His eyes softened, I thought I could see tears shimmering there. "Then I'll take you."

-Inspiration from watching Arrow Season 4 Episode 18

Starting Anew

The tearing sound of plaster falling from the wall as I tore the picture down violently has the most satisfying of sounds. That, and the shattering of breaking glass as I let the picture drop to the tile floor. Oh yes. Best feeling ever to finally destroy the very symbol of my misery in this place. Goodbye horrible relationship. Goodbye home. Goodbye picture. I turned to the next wall, attacking the artwork there with will, throwing them as violently as I could to the floor. The shattering glass was the sweetest music to my ears. Freedom. Freedom. Finally. FINALLY! I had freedom!

-Inspiration from Personal Experience -minus the breaking things.

Survival Mode

Did I ever think that life wasn't fair? Of course, hundreds of millions of billions of times.
Out of all the people I had to be born to be.
I had to be me.
I had to have a mother who didn't get married before having me.
Cursing me, to a half life really.
One that shut me out of most anything really. I could get nothing. nothing easy anyways.
Money, land, prospects? Ha.
Illegitimate sons were never so lucky. And with a Father who is unwilling to even acknowledge my existence.
Life sucks.

So where does that put me?
In Survival mode.
Getting up before dawn, working my arms off, and then heading home to sleep to start it all over again in a few hours. Working, for barely enough pay to buy bread.
I'd heard the stories, of other sons in my position, who got their due, who became something, who became official sons.
Heard of all the failures too. Of the deaths, deaths and more deaths.
And with how 'lucky' my life has been so far.
I would fall into the latter category for sure. Dead.
Survival mode, while horrible, at least kept me alive, until I could figure out how to escape this life. Escape this place.

-Inspiration from watching Who Do You Think You Are -J.K. Rowling episode

Another Fight

I had left the trappings of being a noble behind long ago.

That didn't mean that I didn't occasionally miss my cushy life.

Servants coming to fulfill every beck and whim.

Money to buy whatever whenever I wanted.

The ability to boss people around without consequence.

A cushy life for sure.

One that I missed, whenever life got hard, whenever I had to pick myself back off the dirt.

But that didn't mean that I would ever go back to that life. To that child's dream.

Sure it was easy.

But it was boring.

I picked myself up from the cobblestones, wiping blood from my bottom lip as I straightened. I gave my opponent a cocky grin, knowing it would only antagonize him further. "What? Is that all you got?" I asked raising my fists. "Terrible."

-Inspiration while watching Legends of Tomorrow

In the Middle of Misery

"I hope you love your continued misery, Ben" She sneered over the phone, I could basically hear her smile through her words.
The line went dead, before I could respond. I lowered the phone, placing it with a thunk onto the table with the remains of my latest dating fiasco still strewn about. The date had been going so well. But that was how they all started. Well.
And ended in disaster.
Because of one nightmare of a girl!
I should feel more angry. Angry that one bad relationship now caused millions of other bad relationships. Could I not catch a break from her? Could she not focus her drama on some other guy?
I slowly stood, slipping my phone in my pocket as I tossed a few bills onto the table. "Sorry for the mess." I told the waitress, who nodded sympathetically. "Happens all the time sir."
"Sad to hear that." I said, giving her a wave as I exited the establishment, pulling up the collar of my jacket against the cold wind. 
This had to stop. Becca had to stop. I didn't deserve to be miserable and alone my entire life, and neither did she. I chewed on my bottom lip as I trudged to the bus stop because, of course, my car had disappeared. Probably towed. Probably with Becca's 'help.' I had to get her distracted from me, so we could both move on. Get her to notice some other guy. But how in the world....I frowned, turning down a familiar corner. Perhaps....Perhaps maybe I knew a guy who could help me out....

-Inspiration from the song: Misery