Envision land

                                                                                                                                                                  Julian Haydu

Peliplat

In a sunny Los Angeles, the streets shine a thick, smoggy heat. A low riding shitbox car screeches into a parking spot, Linnea jumps out. In her best attire she’s dressed to impress. She holds herself with fear and excitement and bites her lips in anticipation, she waves goodbye to her unconnected husband. Linnea collects all her papers, her husband wants out. He speeds off sending Linnea’s paper flying. She scrambled to collect all the scattering papers, she grabs them all, expect one. In a murky, muddy puddle her thick paper, with elaborate art and illustrated writing sits sucking up water like a paper towel. Linnea grabs the paper and shakes it off, it’s too late, hopeless, is it a sign to come she wonders.

As the paper falls back into the puddle in reads,

ADVENTURES OF A WICKED WOMAN

PITCH DECK BY: Linnea Hoskins

A thin, pale man sneaks in, he watches Linnea walk into the building as he stalks behind. His long cape and thick hat makes him look like a steampunk Willy Wonka, he even emanates a mysterious, evil, energy. He bends down to the puddle, grabs the paper and blows on it to dry it off, then he places it across his sleeve and moves onward.

Inside the pitch room Linnea stands in front of three Old Men. Bored, inattentive, and hopelessly lost in lust. Not one cares for her idea, not one cares for her idea not one cares for her. As she finishes her pitch it falls on deaf ears, despite their hearing aids beeping loudly.  The Men tell her to keep trying, keep focusing on her craft, she’s close. She asks if they’d like to hear any other ideas, anything she have they might already be looking for. It is a no-go, nothings happening, the two men send her out adamantly, one sits back, then he speaks. He reminds the two men of the new idea for middle-aged men. They ask if she has something where a young, beautiful woman looks to find her sexual identity by seeking out local hotties at her churches and community centres. Linnea understands, she packs her items and walks out the office, they call her name. She turns back, did she successfully stone-wall them? Did she play too hard to get? Are her dreams coming true? She turns and is quickly asked if she has any availability as an assistant, full-time, very hands on. She leaves without a second thought erupting with anger and looking for any kind of release. She powers out the door and soon behind her the man in the long coat and top hat follows after her, leaping and shuffling behind her.

The sun beams down on Linnea, her papers falling behind her, she’s not worried about what’s in her past, just what is ahead. She scratches her arm and bites at her lip, her forehead starts dripping sweat and sees double-vision, she needs a rest. As she plops down onto the ground under a canopy, hiding from the blazing sun, she feels her failure, lives in it. It’s a comfortable feeling for her, she’s used to it, maybe it’s all she knows, maybe it’s all she wants to. She lays her head down to rest on her shoulder and the man in the top hat moves behind a trash can. With a bang it awakes Linnea, she stays on alert she texts her husband but her phone quickly dies, when was it on? When did she use it? As she stands he man in top hat arrives in front of her.

“Hello, my love, how are you today? May I interest you in a chat! Potentially even a play?”

Linnea steps beside him without a word, she will not encourage this freak, no sane person wears a thick coat in the spring of LA. As she steps around him her head aches, her nose feels clogged, her ears plug she stops.

“Do not move so far, I am friend. My name is Trevoid and I am your friend.” Says the man in the top hat, he smiles politely and dips with his hat in hand.

“Okay Dr. Seuss ass motherfucker I don’t know who you are, you don’t know me.” Linnea pushes the man to the side and moves on forward, not giving the time of day to some other man who wants to tell her who she is.

“But who you are, you silly, silly girl. I just want to help you take you out for a twirl!” The man in the top hat jumps and hops. He opens his breast pocket and pulls out a completely dry, fully restored front page of Linnea’s pitch deck.

“I know your name, your role in this world rat-race game, join me for a break, let me give something you can take.

Trevoid slowly takes out a small bag, in it is a thin green powder, it sways and shakes in the bag, it has its own life. Linnea steps back, then forward. She wonders if she needs this, if going back will take away all the works she’s done. She moves away without a word, Trevoid can’t believe his eyes. He chases after wanting to get a reaction.

“Do not just walk away from me, let me show you what you should see! I can help you, save you, ail you, no one needs to know you failed.” The man jumps in front of Linnea, almost like he transported, one moment here, the next there.

“I don’t need your help, nor do I want it. I’ve been working hard to stay sober.” As she pushes through him for what Linnea hopes is the last time, she crashes into a pedestrian on the street. When they collide Linnea is thrust back into a reality she never knew she left, she helps collect the woman’s things as the lady stares at her.

“Can I call anyone for you? You’re yelling at no one…” said the woman with equal parts worry and fear. Linnea speaks jibberish, she tries to explain the man, with the hat, the coat, can’t she see him?

“The man, he was offering me drugs, I said no!” Said Linnea, with a need for the woman to believer her, she doesn’t. The woman moves off quickly going to her phone, Linnea runs down the street and finds herself in a back alley. She checks to make sure it’s safe and finally has a moment of rest.

“Do you not wonder where I can take you? Show you places you been missing, give you to the people you wish you would have been kissing?” Said Trevoid.

“Oh please, I’m happily married.” Said Linnea in her most convincing tone, Trevoid looks to her, the sees right through her thin façade. He takes out the bag once more, when he opens it a huge, magical dragon flies out of the bag. Its scales, detailed with shining coils and bright red dots. It spins and crosses over itself as it moves slowly back into the back, the giant dragon squeezes itself back into the small bag of powder.

“Why don’t you want what I have to offer, you know you need it. I’m a friend, not a foe. You’re Linnea, I’m Trevoid, I have what you need, want an opioid?”

Linnea has a moment, what should she do? She’s alone, scared and my God, how much a trip could help with that right about now. She reaches out her hand, as her arms grows outward, Trevoid’s smile moves from ear-to-ear. He stares as she slowly opens her palm, he drools as he digs in his pocket and takes out a small pill. He drops it in the hand of Linnea who doesn’t make eye contact, she can’t let anyone see her break, especially him. She holds it in her hand, a small white pill, no bigger than a grain of rice can switch a world off in an instant. She feels the power; she sees the possibilities.

“Just one?” Linnea squeaks out. “If I’m relapsing, it has to be worth it.”

Trevoid bends down, he meets her, eye to eye. Linnea looks deep into his dark, deep, dead eyes. He smiles slowly and reveals his grey, broken teeth.

“Trust me, my love. It will be worth it.”

Like magic Trevoid creates a small cup of water, Linnea smiles as she plops the pill in her mouth and swallows dry. She lays back and Trevoid stands and backs away quickly. The pill flies down Linnea’s esophagus, bouncing off the walls it moves quickly into her digestive system, as it dissolves sparkles and shimmer start to infect her stomach like a flu. It twists and turns before it’s gone. Linnea opens her eyes and her once colourful, soulful eyes are now bleak and lifeless, her pupils the size of grapes.

“I think it has kicked in Trevoid, Trevoid?” As Linnea takes in her surroundings, she’s no longer in the idealistically safe alley way she once was, no she sits flying on a thick carpet flying through the sky. Panic and confusion fill her face, what can she do? Tired and ready for whatever’s next she decides to jump. Plummeting she feels free, like a caged bird finally let free, whatever she can do to keep this feeling alive she’ll do, no matter the cost. Soon her free-falling extravaganza is cut short when she hits hard down on a giant stack on scripts, the paper is huge size of an Olympic pool. As Linnea hits down it doesn’t hurt, no it’s fun, she hits the paper and it stretches down, like a fat woman sucking you in she feels no pain. She crawls out of the bouncy papers and finally touches ground. She sees a pair of feet waiting for her. Fancy shoes, nice pants, it’s got to be Trevoid! But when Linnea looks up much to her dismay, she sees one of the men from her pitch, the man who wants desperately to woo her.

“No, no no. Absolutely not! How’d you get here?” Linnea pukes out.

“I’ve been using since the sixties! Why wouldn’t I be here?” The man jokes, he reaches out his hand for a shake. Linnea moves off without as much of a nod, she has no words for him.

“I really think you should stay around, I can help navigate the dangers of this place, my name is Geoffrey.” He smiles at Linnea who turns around wearily. “What dangers?” Linnea asks unconvinced. “We have to be a team to find that out…” Linnea nods her head and moves forward, happily following behind is Geoffrey easily distracted by anything around him. As they walk together, they see many different things Geoffrey always seems to have an answer for, giant cotton candy trees? Native species. Thick white corn fields full of flamboyant scarecrows? Pefescr for keeping three-eyed crows away from crops! Massive cave on the side of a pink mountain? No, we won’t answer that. Geoffrey insists they keep moving, never to look at the mountains. Linnea nods along but she knows she can’t keep this up for much longer. They turn the corner and see a tall, meaty rabbit. The size of a small dog eating at a thick bush, it eats unbothered by the presence of Linnea and Geoffrey.

“These are beautiful creatures, few of them left. Global warmings a problem everywhere, truly.” Geoffrey watches the creature in its natural setting, it’s calm, they are calm, even in this new fucked up world, everything can be all right. Just then crunching in the bushes behind them make the rabbit shows it’s teeth, rows and rows of vicious teeth wrap up and into this rabbit's mouth, it runs off as the woman from the alley comes out from the bushes.

“Linnea!? Linnea, you need help, I can help you.” Says the woman from the alley, she holds out her hand, she’s covered in scratches, blood and dirt. Linnea is confused, who is she? Who sent her? Why is she coming for her!? Linnea shakes her head. “Please, my name is Corina, and your husband sent me, please, we don’t have much time.”

“Bradley sent for you?” Linnea asks as she steps toward Corina. While Linnea speaks to Corina, Geoffrey moves to where the rabbit was, he opens a the bush it was eating from and inside are four baby rabbits. They shake and shimmy in a small homemade nest of logs and leaves. Geoffrey licks his lips, he smiles and imagines the feast he will soon to be having. But as he savours the imagery flavours the mother rabbit comes back…

Flesh being torn apart quickly catches the attention of Corina and Linnea, with shock and fear they run away as the rabbit roars like a makeshift dinosaur. Geoffrey is long gone and soon they could be too. As they hustle along Linnea find the courage to ask where they’re going, Corina without a word and keeping her stride points confidently to the mountain cave Geoffrey was so concerned about.

Corina reaches the top of the mountain first and walks inside the cave without a second thought, moments later when Linnea arrives, she is much more skeptical. Afraid to walk inside she slowly trots her way in, her husband nowhere to be found. Corina sits down by the small fire and relaxes; she waves for Linnea to join her.

“Geoffrey is still out there; we can help him.” Linnea says with courage, Corina looks straight through her, slicing her like butter. “He wouldn’t have made it up the hill without being attacked, he’s long gone. Sit.” Corina demands, Linnea listens and sits down beside her. They take in the cold dark cave; there is minimal light and dripping water from the high rocks from above. This place feels lived in and Linnea can sense it. She looks around waiting for her husband to finally show face.

“Where’s Bradley? My husband?” Linnea asks as Corina avoids eye contact. “You need help, I can help you.” Corina scooches closer to Linnea; she looks at her, longing. “Let me help you.”

Linnea stands up and steps backward.

“Alright bitch, you’re freaking me out, and the last fucker who said he’d help me brought me here so I’m not buying what you seem to be selling!” Linnea stands with confidence waiting for a response for the still seated Corina.

“You need help, you can’t always do this alone…” Corina speaks without eye contact.

“Hey, listen here, I can do anything I fucking want! I’m that girl!” Linnea barks as she storms off in the wrong direction. Corina watches her walk away from the exit and bites her tongue. As Linnea ventures deeper and deeper into the cave she looses any form of light that once came from behind her. She calls out her husband's name and gets no response; her fear grows but she will not let it show. It’s pitch black, Linnea couldn’t see the fingers she puts in front of her face. She decides to take out her cell phone and put on the flashlight. When she mistakenly does, her fears skyrocket and her world crumbles. She sees her husbands lifeless, torn apart carcass laying flat on his stomach, deep, dark blood surrounds him as his lifeless body lays still. Linnea lets out a blood curdling scream, but no one care help her. As she turns her body the flashlight illuminates the setting face of a now awoken dragon, it’s strong smelly breath pierces Linnea, it’s eye stare her down, much more dead than Geoffrey and Bradley combined. The dragon is massive; it fills the size of the enormous cave in inhabits. It’s scales have sharp, edgy cracks and they ooze a liquid that has steam emanating off of it. Linnea is speechless she’s powerless as the dragon slowly coils around her and smiles while doing it.

“Help me, I need help!” Linnea cries out, to no one in particular.

Corinna stands at the edge of the cave, looking inward she takes out her cell phone and dials.

“Hello, 911, I need some help, well someone else, they’re overdosing…” Corina turns around and leaves the cave, never looking back or even a though to help Linnea.

Linnea lays down as the dragon spins around her; she lays in the middle as it consumes her leaving her as a small piece in a fast-moving creature. It lifts its head and stares down at the fearful Linnea, it flares its nostrils that could fit horses inside. Linnea lets out a single tear as she accepts her fate, the dragon nods his head before engulfing Linnea into flames, burning himself in the process he flash fries Linnea, her screams are deafening and her movement is heart breaking.

Back in the alley it’s the same time of day, Corina stands away from the alley speaking to another woman telling her about the crazy druggie. A police officer argues with Bradley as he berates him for letting her be unsupervised like this while under probation. Medics try as hard as they can to soothe the shaking Linnea, but narcan and other medicines just aren’t working. The small bag of drugs lays open beside her Trevoid stands above the Medics, they are not aware of his presence. He watches Linnea’s life disappear in front of him, he stays emotionless, he looks to the bag of drugs then turns away.

As the medics put Linnea into a body-bag a police officer wonders where the baggie of drugs went. It’s nowhere to be found, high above the dragon spins and flips in the air, excited to find its next victim to take a trip to envision land.