Ocean Healing
1. __X__ Do not use the words or any derivative of the words below anywhere in your paper: ghost, apparition, spirit, poltergeist, phantom, specter
2. _X___ Primarily present tense narration
3. _X__ An object takes on great significance (SIG)
4. _X__ The question must be posed: “What time is it?” (Please put in bold)
5. _X_ Backlighting must be used (BACKLIGHT)
6. _X__ A reference to a story from long ago (STORY)
7. _X__ three references to the sensation of cold (COLD 1-3)
8. _X__ Fog, Moth and Marshmallow (Please put in bold)
9. _X__ An animal must act strangely (ANIMAL)
10. _X__ A mirror must be described (MIRROR)
11. _X__ A litany (LITANY)
12. _X__ Remnants/ruins (RUINS)
13. _X__ Concept of vacancy must be evoked or referred to (VACANCY)
14. _X__ A description of an object left behind (OBJECT)
15. _X__ Something ordinary becomes strange (STRANGE)
16. _X__ Someone tries to commune with the dead (COMMUNE)
*This rule is put in when Rue sees the frog. The frog reappears in the story to
bring back Rue’s necklace given to her from her mother. The frog represents that
the mother’s spirit is watching over her, not letting her give up.
17. _X__ A child/children laugh or sing (CHILD)
18. _X__ Interference (INTERFERENCE)
19. _X__ Wind chimes (CHIMES)
20. _X__ A detailed description of a threshold (THRESHOLD)
21. _X__ Something is locked (LOCK)
22. _X__ Footprints (FOOTPRINTS)
23. _5__ 5 references to lighting or weather (L/W 1-5)
24. _X__ a detailed description of someone’s hands (HANDS)
25. _5__ 5 references to smell (SMELL 1-5)
26. _5__ 5 references to sound (SOUND 1-5)
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Rue lies in the soft sand feeling the earth caress her weakened body, the warm water tickle her toes and the moonlight illuminate the lonesome tear on her face as she tries to let the waves distract her mind from the events of the last months. (SOUND 1/ TEXTURE 1-2/ LIGHTING 1) Even a deep breath of fresh ocean air can’t relax her. (SMELL 1) The doctor said that she should stay home and rest, but the piles of boxes in their one room apartment will allow her no peace, especially now that the boxes may never be unpacked in a new home. Her biggest goal in life was to have a family, now all she hopes is that her husband can have one. Her frail body is chilled to the core by her illness, except for the one place all her energy is sent: the womb. (COLD 1) She breathes in the ions from the ocean water and imagines all her healthy energy flowing straight to her little angel growing inside. A smile spreads across her face as she imagines what the giggle of her baby might sound like, and a tear falls to the sand as she whispers a prayer “help me be strong, help me be strong, God please help me be strong.” (LITANY).
Her bittersweet thoughts are interrupted by a gentle stroke of a strong but loving hand across her face. (HAND) “We better get you in bed before you fall asleep and the ocean sweeps you out to sea,” her husband Stuart says as he helps her to her feet. Even in the dim moonlight, she can see the sparkle in his gentle green eyes against his light hair. (LIGHTING 2)
“What time is it?” she asks.
“Late enough for the moon to go to bed,” he teases back.
They leisurely walk to the porch of the old seaside Bed and Breakfast where the wind chime tinkles softly in the night breeze. (CHIME/ SOUND 2) She turns to back to take one more glimpse at the full moon shimmering atop the foggy water just in time to see their footprints fade away. (FOOTPRINTS). They step inside and turn off the moth covered porch light, leaving the dunes in darkness (LIGHTING 3).
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The next morning, Rue woke to the sound of a persistent frog croaking outside her window. Expecting a large bullfrog judging by its loudness, Rue was surprised to find a green tree frog no bigger than her pinky finger (ANIMAL). The little frog stopped croaking and looked up at her as if it was smiling (SOUND 3/ COMMUNE*).
The door creaked open and Stuart walked in with a warm cup of hot chocolate for Rue. “I put a few marshmallows in it for a treat,” he says smiling. “I know you want to be as healthy as possible, but you have to still have a little fun.”
The smell of sweet chocolate made her mouth water. (SMELL 2). Rue laughed, a few marshmallows may even be good for her, she hadn’t had them in so long.
The sunlight spilled over Rue from behind, outlining her silhouette in the window. (BACKLIGHT) To Stuart she looks more beautiful than ever, and he marvels at how she can carry such hardship with strength and hopefulness. He knows he is supposed to the strong one right now, but sometimes he fears he won’t be able to hide his weakness from her much longer. His steadfast faith and confidence that they will make it through is becoming shaky. (STRANGE) Rue knows Stuart is just as worried as she is, but she can’t seem to find a way to tell him it’s okay. Looking at her feeble reflection in the shell decorated mirror, she can only imagine how frightening reality looks. (MIRROR). The only piece of beauty she sees is in her reflection is the tiny gold heart necklace that her mother gave her before she passed, as a reminder that she will always be near. As long as she wears it, she feels like she can do anything. (SIG)
“If you’re feeling up for it, I thought we could take a little picnic down to the old lighthouse today,” Stuart suggests in attempts to distract Rue from the worries in her head. “The view is beautiful.”
“That sounds lovely, and I am feeling very refreshed this morning,” Rue responds.
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It is nearing noon when Rue and Stuart begin their tame adventure down to the old, musty lighthouse. (SMELL 3) Picnics are about as strenuous an adventure can be these days. The day is sunny and warm, and the palm trees whisper periodically when the breeze blows. (LIGHTING 4) Long ago, the Bed and Breakfast was the living quarters for the lighthouse keepers. Out of use for years now, the lighthouse paint is peeling, bricks are crumbling and cobwebs cover every doorway and window. (THRESHOLD/ RUINS/ TEXTURE 3). Though falling apart, the lighthouse is still beautiful and looks like it has many stories to tell. They find a little spot at the base of the lighthouse looking to the bay and pull out their picnic, including Rue’s favorite: fresh strawberries (SMELL 4). It was the most fun the two of them had in a long time. They talk about what it would have been like to be a lighthouse keeper, or a ship captain or even one of the dolphins they spotted out in the water. Neither of them worry about the illness or pregnancy for just that short picnic.
Suddenly, a cold chill comes over Rue, and Stuart heads back to the B&B to fetch her jacket and a blanket. (COLD 2/ OBJECT) While he is gone, she begins to get nauseous, and cries out as sharp pains stab her abdomen. Automatically, Rue began to panic- she could be losing the baby! The tiny necklace she wears feels like a heavy burden on her frantically beating chest and she struggles to unclasp it. (LOCK) Feeling suffocated, she rips it off and it falls to the picnic blanket. Rue rocks forward and back, side to side trying to ease the pain, hoping that Stuart will make it back in time to get her to the hospital.
“Stuart!” she cries, “I’m losing the baby!” Stuart rushes over to find Rue weeping on the picnic blanket. As calmly as he can manage, he picks her up and rushes her to the car in the B&B parking lot. Just before he closes his door to race off to the hospital, he hears a croak and finds a little frog on top of the car, with Rue’s necklace in its tiny mouth. (SOUND 4) How bizarre, he thinks to himself. Too worried about getting to the hospital, he grabs the necklace, gives the frog no more thought and races off. (INTERFERENCE).
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Two months later
Rue lies in the soft sand feeling the earth caress her weak body, the warm water tickle her toes and the moonlight illuminate the smile on her face. (TEXTURE 4) She takes in a deep breath of salty ocean air. (SMELL 5) In the distance, she listens to the symphony of frogs in the trees and her heart is filled with warmth remembering the little frog that seemed to smile at her on that frantic day. (STORY) It feels odd to not have a baby inside her anymore, but the emptiness has been filled with a new hope. (VACANCY) The road ahead is still long, but the scarf she now wears is a constant reminder of how thankful she is to feel the cool, gritty sand on her bald head. (TEXTURE 5) She holds her baby above her head and tears of joy roll into the sand as she listens to the sweet sounds of her healthy girl. (SOUND 5) The gentle, dark ocean rushes in and sweeps away her tears. (LIGHTING 5).