Sunday, November 04, 2018

November Writing Challenge 2018 - 4 - Mad Love


THE FOURTH CHALLENGE: MAD LOVE

What if you fell in madly in love right now? Right where you are in your life. Total loss of control. You betray everything. Everyone. Moth to the flame. The world is your obstacle, and love is your only objective. Total destruction and you want it. A kiss in the climax. Best if there is fire or blood right alongside. 

Suggested structure: A serious sandwich. Comedy is the bread. Find something meaty in the middle.

Bonus: Make it the opposite of your “type” - and it’s everything you need right now.

(I’m loving these prompts. I will dig in on them later. For now... continuing with the Cymbeline riff)

ACTRESS 3 reanimates the IACHIMO puppet on her arm.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Hello!  I am Iachimo!

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Gesundheit!

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Excuse me?

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
I thought you sneezed.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
No, that's my name.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Oh!  I thought you were trying to say "Iago" but sneezed in the middle of it.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Iago?  No!  That's a horrible name.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
I agree.  Horrible man.  Sowing the seeds of doubt and jealousy between two loving spouses.  So, not Iago then?

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
No, definitely not.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Well, you can't be too careful.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
You're very bright.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Honestly, I don't know what gets into people.  I mean, you really need to have major trust issues or very low self-esteem to be so easily duped.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
He was their friend.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
So they thought.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Like you say, can't be too careful.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Why are you here again?

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Oh!  I just met your husband.  In Rome.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Posthumus!

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
No, he’s not dead.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
No, that’s his name.  Posthumus.  I thought you said you met him.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Oh.  Right.  Yes.  Posthumus.  The best of friends.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
How delightful!  How I wish I could see and be near him the way you have been!

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
I think you and I should have sex.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
What?!

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
You.  And me.  Sex.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
No.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
No?

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Sex.  Me.  And my husband.  Posthumus.  Only.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
You’re into necrophilia?

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
What?  No!  His name is Posthumus.  We’ve been over this.  Less than a minute ago.  I will only be having sex, lots of sex, with my husband.  Whose name is Posthumus.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
But he's in Rome.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Yes.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
And you're here.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Yes.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
And you're so lovely.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Yes.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Aren't you lonely without him?

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Yes.  That doesn't mean I want to do it with anything in pants.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Why not?  He'll never know.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
I'll know.  And I have pledged my love and fidelity.  We gave each other -

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
A ring and a bracelet, yes, I know.  I heard.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
And yet you still thought you could - ?

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
Come on.  You can't blame a guy for trying.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
Actually, yes, I think I can.  You should go now.

                          ACTRESS 3 (IACHIMO, puppet)
How do you know you're husband's being faithful?  There are a lot of beautiful women in Rome.

                          ACTRESS 1 (IMOGEN)
First you insult me.  Now you insult my husband.  And the women of Rome.  You really should go now.  Before I have you thrown out.

(to be continued)



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