Welcome to the make believe world of our brain and his crew …during a writing session. They are the sailors of the Sad Soul, a ship bound for doom as they find themselves off the coast of a dangerous island whose inhabitants have the reputation of beheading intruders. The Captain refuses to take a chance on weighing anchor and going ashore to find food, and has set his course for home, which is 50,000 words away. But can they make it?
Cast of Characters:
The Imagination – Captain Boring
The Brain – First Mate
The Emotion – Cry Baby
The Conscience – Cricket
The Reason – Spock
Part One: The Scurvy
“Cap’n…the story is getting weak. We won’t write anymore. We can’t.” The first mate limped toward Captain Miles Boring, attempting to sound absolute. He knew the crew was truly pushed to the limit this time.
“Stop your grumbling and add 500 words to the count, Sailor.”
“But, Cap’n…”
“Unless ye’d rather swim home?” The captain’s tired and bulging eyes made him appear crazed.
The first mate sighed and closed the door to the main quarters, returning to the deck.
“Psst…ay, here.” He motioned for the crew to gather around him. “He won’t budge.”
Unanimous protest arose from the group.
“Shhh! Hey now! Don’t let ‘im hear us!”
Spock stood with his hands to his sides, his face expressionless. “We simply have no strength left. It is not logical.”
Cry Baby nodded amidst sobs, trying to speak but unable to form words with her sore red gums. She had lost all of her teeth to the scurvy.
Cricket moaned and buried his head in his hands. “I feel so bad, even just thinking about leaving him like that!”
The first mate was solemn. “It’s only because he leaves us no choice.”
Judge and Spock nodded their assent.
“Then we’re off. And may God save his soul.”
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Scurvy of the Imagination is a look into the mind of a writer whose imagination has been starved – but believes it can force itself to keep going without food, without teamwork, and without rest.
It is based on a period of time where I had to nurse my own imagination back to health, facing the truth that it’s weakened state was my own doing.
Next Time: Captain Boring faces the impossible task of writing himself home, but his strength fails once and for all.