My Shifting Realities Experience

How I script (with an example)

I don't know how much scripting everyone else does, or how thorough it is, but I have said multiple times now that I like to script like I'm writing a novel. I write out different scenes that I think of or have been imagining for some time as a way to feel more connected. I've toyed with the idea of sharing my script for a while because when I was first starting out all I wanted were examples, plus I'm pretty proud of what I have, but because this DR is so personal to me there's a lot about it I don't want to share. All the people in my script (aside from my DR family) are real people who exist in this reality too, and a number of them are my family members and I'm not comfortable sharing last names or details about where this is (a small town in Washington is the most in depth you're getting). That being said, I have plenty of script to choose from (almost 50,000 words when I take out all the basic stuff and relationships, that's almost 50,000 words of just scripted scenarios). My script ranges from the day I shift to (August 12, 1955) all the way to an encounter with an ex-boyfriend in a grocery store in 1970 with my kids. Of course most of my script is merely speculation or intuition, it's all really just for inspiration and to make me feel closer, and maybe the only part of it that will be the same as in my DR is the part where I say I open my eyes in my DR bedroom, but just imagining all of this makes me feel so much closer. So without any more blabbering, here's an excerpt from my script.

(In case you're new and skipped over all my other chapters I'm shifting to my town in the 50's. My name is Peggy, my best friends are Len and Karren, and my boyfriend is Jerry)

As a bit of exposition, Jerry and I have been interested in each other for about a year now, we went out a bit in the fall but things got complicated in January as we both got really busy and I had a weird relationship with a boy in theatre, but he finally worked up the nerve to ask me to the Junior Prom. We had an excellent night dancing and enjoying ourselves, the same unfortunately can't be said for Len and his date Mary, who got into an argument (this is a fact, she wrote about it in his yearbook and three others hinted at it, she also apparently lost her shoe that night). As I've mentioned, my father can be very strict, especially when it comes to enforcing curfews with my dates.

Also forgive me, this is one of maybe three instances in which people in my DR swear, extenuating circumstances I suppose. Also I promise it's not all mush with Jerry, two years worth are me trying not to be mushy with Jerry! And this is about two and a half years after the day I plan to shift to.

•••

April 18, 1958

"Oh golly, it's pouring!" I note as we halt in the doorway of the Grange.

We have spent the evening dancing and smiling and enjoying our Junior prom surrounded by Japanese fans and cherry blossoms, but the dance is winding down and we are heading home. I hold Jerry's arm, Len and Mary just behind us. It has rained the whole night and couples are running through the parking lot, up to their ankles in water. Some boys carry their dates, others just make a break for it.

"I guess we'll see you" Len makes his way past us, patting Jerry on the shoulder. I give him a quick hug.

"Drive safe!"

He nods and Mary waves goodbye before following him to the truck. I notice she does not take his hand, evidently still unhappy after their argument.

"Let's make a break for it" I say, tugging the sleeve of Jerry's jacket.

"Alright" he replies, surprised I want to run in the mud.

I tug him out after me and the two of us dash through the rain and the mud squealing. Suddenly I feel my foot sink into the soft ground and I start to fall. Jerry catches me, steadying me. My foot is engulfed in mud and I am trying fruitlessly to yank it out.