LIFE: BANE AND BOON
Echoes of Taboo
Prints of Emotional Betrayal
Take 1
It is the year of ’56 in a world not so different from ours. This world already has access to virtual reality, the world wide web, and digitalized imaging.
INT. DAVIEN’S STUDY — EVENING
Never did I fathom that my life would plummet into the abyss of darkness and contempt. Davien, my fiancé for some time, had always appeared to be the epitome of selfless generosity and caring kindness. But on that fateful evening, while entering his study to kiss him goodnight, I caught a fleeting glimpse of a peculiar image on Davien’s screen before he hastily closed it with the Boss button on his keyboard and an enigmatic trance in his eye.
It led me to unexpectedly research his laptop that night, perhaps uncovering excruciating evidence that could destroy the very foundation of my family life, well-being, and moral compass.
INT. DAVIEN’S STUDY — MIDNIGHT
A folder captures my cautious attention amidst the labyrinth of his digital files. With trembling fingers, I navigate to the folder, summoning the courage to click on its contents. In that profound moment of epiphany, a concealed aspect of Davien, a potentially unacceptable truth that had eluded my perception so far, is unveiled before me.
Nestled within the confines of the folder is an image file titled ‘David,’ which stirs within me an inexplicable aversion to delve deeper into this disturbing enigma.
RAVENA
(whispering to herself)
“I don’t know why. Truly, is it wrong? Davien loves art, sculpture, beauty, perfection, architecture, and orchestral music. It is a fondness that almost seems too overdone, too extreme. Once, I saw him staring with a strange glance at the sculpture of ‘David’, but then, aren’t we all intrigued by the art of Michelangelo?
Yet, it is a part of him I feel attracted to. When we met, he intrigued me with his intelligence and seemingly caring nature, although I sometimes wonder what secret or perhaps taboo he might hold deep within his innermost being.”
I lean back in the desk chair, the weight of uncertainty pressing upon me. Davien has always been an enigma, guarded and distant. He keeps his emotions veiled as if constantly teetering on the edge of some unknown consequence or punishment. The thought of his hidden depths sends a shiver down my spine.
RAVENA
(continuing)
“He is my first love, a bit older than I am, but, still … I cannot help but wonder why he is so reluctant to be intimate with me. He has built a strict regime around himself, and I fear breaking through to uncover the truth beneath his stoic but charming façade and rather ‘Spartan’ way of living.
Yet, still, …. I have postponed marriage and starting a family for too long…
I’m supposed to conform to societal norms and follow traditional expectations. My family expects me to have children, it seems — especially after the loss of so many sons in the Second World War— sacrificing my financial independence, career, and other personal aspirations for the benefit of motherhood.I know … I will be fired from being a teacher, when I marry ….
Setting apart the fact that it took me a while to find an intelligent, caretaking, and providing spouse that I at least would have some influence on.
God, help me, do I really want to know?”
As I ponder the implications of opening the image file and its connection to Davien, a torrent of questions floods my mind. What could “David” represent? Why does it hold such significance? Is it a clue to a secret I have not been aware of? Could it possibly lead to a revelation that could shatter our relationship, my future?
RAVENA’s hand trembles, hovering over the mouse, hesitant yet determined. Her heart races with a mixture of horrified anticipation and dread. With a deep breath, she clicks on the image file, bracing herself for whatever dark truth awaits her on the other side.
The screen illuminates, revealing a photograph that freezes Ravena’s heart and consciousness. It’s a picture of Davien, or more precisely, a part of Davien being showcased. In the background, she sees a silhouette reflected in a window.
RAVENA
(shocked-eyes wide with disbelief, on the threshold of possibly becoming willfully blind or psychologically repressed)
“This cannot be true; this cannot be Davien… It must be a mistake, something forced upon him…”
The weight of her unexpected revelation races through her entire being, engulfing her in a sea of fear, doubt, and uncertainty. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knows this isn’t a mistake but has truth that she shouldn’t cling to and connect with. She questions everything she thinks she knows about the husband she will marry in a few weeks.
Deep within her, a sense of shame and guilt blocks her mind, leaving her with only survival thoughts and instincts to act upon. Ravena’s mind shuts down, incapable of confronting Davien or seeking help from the outside or within her family. The secret she harbored changes her, opening a gate for a possible self-deceptive, manipulative, OCD-ed, and ultimately unfulfilled yet remorseful alter ego.
FADE OUT.
Take 2
It is the year of ’59 in a world not so different from ours.
INT. CORRIDOR — LATE AFTERNOON
Caelyn sits on the floor of the corridor, incapable of any movement. She cannot even crawl. Her tiny head rests against the left wall, her fragile body trembles, and tears stream down her cheeks.
She feels confused, caught in an instinctive and unstoppable flood of menacing emotions, powerlessness, empty desolation, unyielding fear, and loneliness. Her bloated belly full of air hurts terribly, and she pulls small pieces of wallpaper from the corridor wall in her distress. She feels it might be better for her just to suffocate.
If anything, that image will haunt her forever — the image of an abandoned and desolate infant choking in the corridor. And more. She keeps hearing the child screaming ‘Momma’ and ‘Help’ in her heart and mind. But Momma Ravena never really showed up to offer solace, at least not in those moments, and occasionally quite the opposite. But yes, images at that age are not reliving memories but childhood fantasies, as everyone, especially professionals, repeatedly told her so.
After what seems like ages, the infant, little Caelyn, becomes somewhat aware of a cacophony of loud voices behind the living room door at the end of the corridor. In a flash, she sees her mother come out and quickly flee through the left door into the master bedroom. The voices only disappear when a couple of charged and excited strangers leave the house with Dad ……. Davien.
Much later, 45 years later, these images mix with a text spoken by Ravena the momma, never accepted or taken seriously by Caelyn: “Something with bruising in the wrong spots”, “They forced themselves upon him”, “We will certainly not consider or be forced to move elsewhere.”
Take 3
It is the year of ’04 in a world not so different from ours. Most taboos are somewhat accepted. But this taboo cannot be written and spoken about in detail without hurting even more.
INT. CAELYN’S BEDROOM — TWILIGHT
Caelyn, at age 47, sits in her dimly lit room, her body trembling with the horror of her newfound knowledge. The truth she uncovered only half an hour ago has left her feeling sick and betrayed. She gazes at the paper and photograph before her, the haunting evidence of the taboo that has silently controlled her current existence for far too long.
The room feels oppressive, as if it holds the weight of her burden. Caelyn’s heart is a whirlwind of emotions, swirling between disbelief, repudiation, anger, and a deep sense of loss. The echoes of this abhorrent taboo reverberate through her thoughts, a constant reminder of the deceptive betrayal she endured.
CAELYN
(whispering, her voice heavy with pain)
“How could I have been so naïve? How could I not have seen the whole truth? I could have forgiven it all if it had just been with me, but others?”
Tears stream down her face, mingling with the torment that churns inside her. The emotional manipulation and abuse she experienced now take on a new significance as the last pieces of her troubled past fall into place. The people she thought she knew, those supposed to be trustworthy, were even more different from whom they appeared to be.
But beyond the devastation, a flicker of strength ignites within Caelyn. She refuses to let this abhorrence define and defy her. She knows she must find the courage to heal from the emotional wounds inflicted upon her and gather her shattered parts. To shake off this karma and arise reborn as a phoenix.
She reaches for a pen and paper, determined to confront her pain head-on. Words spill onto the page, outing her inner struggles and her resolve to regain her true being. She embraces the power of her voice, which the burden of the taboo has long silenced.
CAELYN
(whispering to herself, empowered)
“This past karma will no longer have power over me. I will rise above the pain and reclaim my pure authenticity. I have faith that I will be whole once more.“
As the ink dries on the paper, Caelyn takes a deep breath, inhaling the promise of a new beginning. She knows the road to healing will be arduous, filled with moments of doubt and uncertainty. But she is determined to break free from the emotional damage that has held her captive for so long.
“No more veiled appearances, lies, and deception. “
CAELYN
(whispering)
“Dear God, I need to forgive. Somehow.”
FADE OUT.
