Arc 1 =========================== Act 1; Everything goes away =========================== ------- Scene 1; 1 Introduction to setting (Rockies), character introductions The characters are hiking in the Rockies West of Calgary before school starts. The characters are students or friends of students at schools in Calgary. Eric, the CS major, fat and slow but willing. Marcus, the hiker who organized the trip and knows wilderness stuff. Jeffry, the PoliSci major, civilized but capable of helping Marcus. Faye, the annoyingly Christian preppie girl. Joanna, the anthropology major/feminist. Several nights before they leave the mountains, an odd thunderstorm with many strange lights. ------- Scene 2; Discovery of destruction (Calgary), retreat into mountains Calgary is a glass crater surrounded by shattered buildings. Fearing radiation, the group returns to the evident safety of the mountains. Immediate reactions; shock, disbelief, anger. ------- Scene 3; Looking for options. Considered while hiking deeper into the mountains (creating an unstated assumption already). Immediate need for food, water, and shelter. Search out other major cities? No rescue teams evident in Calgary, easy to reason that there aren't any left. Search out smaller communities? No maps, too far away and no way to find them. Making a camp? Required for later searching, for immediate survival. ------- Scene 4; Finding a camp After some walking (while discussing, above), a valley with a glacier-fed stream is found. Cave on plateau up the hill Making the immediate area habitable; path to stream/spring, toilets (dyke joke?) private areas for men/women? ======= Act 2; ------- Scene 1; With survival assured, tensions come to the surface. Joanna pressures an unwilling Marcus into explicit leadership. The other guys, unwilling (yet) to voice reservations, simmer for a while, then finally attack Marcus physically. He beats them. The whole incident details a primal sort of "man's way to deal," since they then realize it's for the best and they were being idiots, and recognize his leadership. ------- Scene 2; Gender struggles Joanna tries to get in the sack with Marcus. Faye burns with jealousy and indignation at Joanna's bare-faced kingmaking and attempt to take advantage, starts getting close to Marcus. Love triangle thing goes on for a while, though Marcus doesn't react to either of them. The whole incident details a sort of "women's way to deal;" non- conflict, uh... stuff. ------- Scene 3; Eric's low self-esteem begins to show, as neither girl even looks his way. Jeffry helps him out of it. Winter is coming and there is not enough food, nor will there be just hunting squirrels. Larger game is needed, and probably hunting throughout the winter. Need to preserve food. (eric knows how) Joanna finally makes an overt move and Marcus snubs her, the reaction being public. Faye obviously pleased with the situation. Joanna moves on to Jeffry. ------- Scene 4; Wandering herd of cattle grazes near camp, Jeffry spots. Food problem solved for winter. Choice of what to do with cattle; slaughter and preserve all, preparing for expedition in spring, or maintain herd, giving permanency to camp or lifestyle? Marcus' cross falls out of his shirt; he casually tucks it back in, but Faye notices and decides they're fated to be together. Caution wins out over enthusiasm. "Just in case," the herd is preserved. "We can kill them later anyway." Couple of steers are slaughtered. Way squeamish girls inadvertently reinforce gender roles. Eric knows how to make leather. Winter begins. ======= Act 3 ------- Scene 1; Jeffry, cornered by the same kind of situation as Marcus, admits he's gay. Has been for two years, a convert based on experience. Joanna's responds anthropologically; pointing out the undesirability of such preferences in a situation where population is low, the likely response by the increasingly masculine males, etc. An implied threat to out him. Combined with a lack of recent affection (as opposed to sex), and a lack of other options, he screws her. Important that this is not a statement that all gays need is a good woman; Jeffry continues to hit on men, Joanna is a master manipulator, but circumstances dictate the pairing. ------- Scene 2; Crafting tools, winter hunting The cold demands that the cave/huts have more protection than bark on branches and fire; furs for doors and people are required. Men make short expeditions to find SOMEthing with fur- bear cave nearby, wolf pack? Male and female roles take sharp contrast. Women lack the physical strength to hack through muscle and bone with the crude weapons they manage- Joanna tries- and Faye feels that her rightful place is hearth, not field. Joanna keeps herself occupied making "useful things, not simpering for the men." The men take as much leather as they can for protection, leave on a warm day, and go to kill wolves/bear. Split into two plot lines, men on the hunt and women at the camp. Men; action stuff, fighting wolves, rolling down snow-covered hills, wielding spears, blood, excitement. Women; Fixing the camp in the absence of men and their unwillingness to improve; logging, fixing the door without leather, making proper tools to replace the hack jobs the guys made. ------- Scene 3; The return Dragging bones for carving, fur, and meat, the men return. Based on SCA analogy; Women's eyes light up at testosterony men. Joanna drags Jeffry off. Faye finally decides to "offer herself" to Marcus, sure that he'll agree with her "we must propogate Xianity" argument. He refuses her as he did Joanna, with as little explanation. A few days later, still convinced that she must propogate Xianity, Faye "offers herself" to Eric, who accepts. ========= Act 4 ------- Scene 1; Spring arrives Joanna is pregnant. Her casual attitude stops the instant she realizes she can't abort. Faye smirks a lot. Faye is pregnant. She's happy with it. Joanna and she fight quite a bit at first over the differences in attitude; "Why can't you be happy you have new life?" "How can you not be horrified you've got a parasite inside you?" MUST NOT BECOME an abortion/pro-life debate- it's a character conflict. More of a "we'll stay here" mentality now that there'll be children. Fishing experiments. More hunting to prepare for kids- clothes, etc. ------- Scene 2; signs of human life Eric finds old dead body on hiway. Expedition to watch Calgary; watching for a few days from hilltop. No life. Develop way to signal other humans- fire on mountaintop every few days. ------- Scene 3; Conclude former questions Constructing more permanent shelters. Discussing future; food is sustainable. Water is available. Looking for ways to start farming berries or grains. ------- Scene 4; Relationship issues In spite of themselves, tensions between Joanna and Faye ease because of shared experiences. Womany stuff; sitting on "porches," they talk about dreams for kids, etc. Kids offer hope? Joanna and Jeffry start fighting- more friendness with Faye, complaining about men. The unexpected arrival! Abrupt cliffhanger ending.