Setting the Mood and Sharing the Plot

I don't always know where the story is going to go when I write it. Sometimes I have thought it out, but other times I prefer to write it on the fly, that way I can more easily adapt and evolve the story as it begins taking shape. Usually I've also fleshed out the characters in excruciating detail, more detail than ever winds up in the story. Almost always, before I write a single word of the story, the characters are nearly fully formed. I've always liked characters though. When I wrote plays in middle and high school, my favorite part was creating the characters. In one of my earlier medium stories, I explained a little bit about why I find characters so fascinating, sometimes more than the story itself. 

But, there's a new part of my writing process that has lasted for the last 5-7 years. It's my penchant for creating playlists that set the tone for the stories I write. Admittedly, sometimes setting up a playlist that embodies the story I'm writing takes time, bordering on obsession until it feels near complete. I've come to rely on these playlists because they help me set the scenes. I think this is because the music, or rather the right music that syncs with the story I'm attempting to tell, can evoke ideas, provoke or even calm the senses. I mean, why do you think movies often have musical scores or soundtracks? It's not just for the amusement of the audience. 

The short story I'm currently working on, tentatively titled "The Rules of the Game," is a bit of an oddity from my usual process. In this case, the story idea came to me first, then I had to figure out the characters. When I made the playlist to this story, I was still trying to figure out who the characters are and what they represented. But, I knew the feeling I wanted, I knew how I wanted the plot to flow, so I created the following playlist for "The Rules of the Game" keeping in mind that flow. Try listening to the playlist while reading the extended plot to the story and see if you can feel what I'm going for.

Synopsis:

Who would have thought that six kids randomly paired together on the whim of a middle school biology teacher would have resulted in a friendship that continued 18 years later. Statistically, that is quite improbable. But, their bonds are easily understood by those who know them, as the sad truth of what brings them together is a horrific event that still scars them to this day, especially Brett, who was the first to see the grisly scene. 

Some of the friends speculate that's why Brett and high school sweetheart Callie moved several states away to Wisconsin, in order to not be so close to where the group saw "the event" happen. Most of them also speculate this is what stopped Ambrose from signing a baseball scholarship, contending it's why he just wanderlusts around the world. 

But they don't talk about that much. Nonetheless, these six have remained friends, going so far as to gather together at least once a year after high school in order to check in with each other. Although, recently this gathering has become less of a therapy session and more of a party. The last few years have proven to be a boon for Murphy, who since taking over his family's cookie business, has found the perfect way to taste test potential new recipes. Of course, that's almost as exciting as hearing about how the class valedictorian Dominique is working on new technology soon to be used in operating rooms everywhere. But that pales in comparison to Callie's exploits, who, despite making a modest living as a painter, has managed to sell some of her artwork to two different celebrities in the last year. Her husband of 11 years Brett also makes a modest living building websites and providing online security to nonprofits. 

There's only one person in the group who seems to have pulled the short straw, and that's Holt. He can't help but wonder why it feels like his luck peaked in high school and has continued to dwindle in the last few years. After his wife divorced him, he lost his job and had to temporarily move back in with his parents before finding a thankless job as a bank teller ever since. Holt wasn't even sure he wanted to go this year. But this year's gathering in particular holds a special allure; that being the fact that Ambrose might have finally found to the girl of his dreams. Ambrose was always a bit unpredictable, especially after giving up his baseball scholarship, skipping college altogether to just travel around the world. Out of all the friends, it always seemed like Ambrose was the only one who wouldn't settle down. But now, as he's stated in past group chats, Ambrose claims this new beau; Sonya, is "the one." 

So when everyone, sans Ambrose and Sonya arrive at Murphy's home, located right next to his family's cookie shop, everyone is a little confused, until Brett reads an email from Ambrose explaining why he's running late. 

As everyone waits, Murphy gives a tour of his newly renovated home to maybe slightly show off the smart home technology he's installed nearly everywhere, with the hub of it all being in his living room/den. Everyone slowly gets comfortable, except for Holt, who has several outbursts about how every seems to stay in the loop on everyone's businesses except for him. Luckily, Murphy is there with the jokes to ease the tension. As everyone catches up, it's revealed that Brett and Callie have gone completely vegan. It's also revealed that Callie has sold her artwork to another celebrity, and may even be doing some artwork for said celeb's band's album cover. 

When Ambrose and Sonya arrive, everyone is so surprised by the drastic change is his appearance from a clean-cut, short-haired athlete who only drank to a long-haired and bearded dude in ripped jeans, that they almost don't see his g/f Sonya meander into the room too. But it strikes everyone strange to see the odd dynamics of his relationship to Sonya, who seems rather detached and apathetic about the festivities. 

But the night gets even stranger when these odd love birds introduce a card game they picked up at a yard sale. The two insist that the person they bought it from says that it's never been opened or used. 

The game is called "What's Happening?" created by Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). The front of the box reads,

“Discover what's really happening inside the minds of your friends in a game of deception, tricks and games. Be prepared, you might not like what you learn.”

If that doesn’t sound slightly ominous enough, things begin to sound a little more strange when the back of the box is read aloud too.

“What's happening is that you're about to play  What's Happening, the card game where you really get to know what's happening with those around you. But be alert, because at any moment, the rules can change, making it harder to know what's happening. Be prepared to act out absurd scenes, outwit those around and uncover uncomfortably upsetting secrets in order to be the winner of what's happening. But be warned, once the game starts, it will not end until either everyone knows what's happening or the last person left knows what's happening.”

While the game certainly starts off innocent enough, it quickly spirals out of control in part due to it's absurd, paranoia inducing rules. Coupled with Ambrose and Sonya's seemingly obsessive adherence to said constant rule changes, this reunion will be one that these friends will never forget, if they even live to tell about it the next year.