Opera Ghost Draft #2

He couldn’t believe it could happen to him His first kiss. He had never been so happy before. Simon was just saying goodbye to Jack when he crossed the busy manhattan street. Simon wasn’t paying attention when it happened. Simon struggled to breathe but he can just make out one word. One name. Jack.

Simon was just a young lad trying to become an actor. He was a tall 19 year old with green eyes and sandy blond hair. He moved to New York from Cardiff, Wales. When he came to this country he found a job and befriended a girl named Alice. While working in a restaurant, he took acting classes on the side. That’s where he met the 23 year old Jack. They immediately hit it off. Jack told Simon about a chance of a lifetime. For Simon to try out as the Phantom for The Phantom of The Opera. Simon, of course did. He wanted to be the youngest Opera Ghost. Three weeks after his audition, he was excited to hear that he had landed the part. His understudy, Jack also played the Vicomte de Chagny, or as he is better known as, Raoul. Simon loved to look at Jack singing. He loved to look at Jack dancing and singing. He loved to look at Jack dancing, singing, and acting. He loved Jack. Jack felt the same way. That’s why, after rehearsal, after everyone had gone, Jack pulled Simon aside and kissed him. Simon was so excited. Too excited.

As Simon lay on the street floor, he exhaled and he saw himself leave his body. Simon screamed. He couldn’t believe what had happened. Everything was passing by him so quickly. It would slow down then speed up again. He couldn’t see right. Simon could hear Mozarts Symphony No. 40 playing in his messed up mind. He saw Jack running towards the accident. Jack screamed louder than Simon. Jack dropped down to his knees and put Fred’s head on his lap and rocked back and forth. Jack couldn’t stop crying. When the paramedics arrived, they didn’t announce him as dead. He wasn’t dead yet. But he wasn’t alive either. Simon had been put into a coma. Jack had took over the part of the Phantom as Simon was in the hospital. Jack never let Simon feel alone. He visited everyday. Held his hand and told him about his day. Alice was there for Simon as well. She cried almost everyday. Simon hated not being there for them. To tell him that he was going to be ok. He wanted to wake up. To tell Jack how he felt and that he wants to be  with him. But instead he just had to sit back and watch Jack try and live his life without him. When the show was put on stage, Simon went everyday and cheered for Jack. Two weeks before closing night, Simon felt weak, his body was beginning to fade. He was being pulled back. Simon blinked and he saw a bright white light. He couldn’t help but call out Jacks name. “Simon? Simon?” is all he heard. HE finally blinked into consciousness. Simon saw a man in all white look at him. “Mr. Bellamy?” Simon had never seen this man before. “Mr. Bellamy my name is Doctor Shepard. How are you feeling?” Simon asked for Jack. “Mr. Bellamy, Jack is already on his way. We took the liberty of contacting him once you were beginning to wake up.” Simon cried a little. He was finally awake; he remembered everything. Jack burst through the door and ran into Simon’s doctor as he was leaving. Simon began to cry even more as he ripped out all the wires and tubes connected to his arms and jumped out of his bed. But since he had been immobile for so long, he fell into Jacks arms. Jack pressed his face into his own and kissed him. Simon heard Handel’s, Messiah Hallelujah suddenly play in his mind. Simon felt weak again. He didn’t understand what was wrong. “Jack..I..I don’t feel so good.” Jack screamed for help. Simon took Jacks face in his hands and told him that he loved him before he closed his eyes for good.

Reflection:  After the 2nd workshop and a review by Ms Defeo, I now want to change in my story Simons evolution as a person. Throughout the story I want him to yearn to live but can't because of his condition. I want him to understand that because of the accident it will be almost impossible to continue living like he used to and he needs to learn to let Jack go. He should watch Jack suffer with thoughts of him and how hard it is to move on while he is still in a coma. Also I want to take Alice out of the story.