Milestone 2 (refine)

Creative Work (The Crisis)

Cast:

A woman in her late thirties (Carlotta)

Her son (Domingo)

The woman’s father (Papi)

Fletcher (Head of CIA)

Receptionist at CIA

Carlotta is in the middle of her hot pursuit to unravel the recent fatal shooting of her sister-a detective working with the CIA. Amid the pain of the loss of her sister, she has to deal with taking care of an ailing bed-ridden father who is too sick to be told that her bread winner daughter is no more lest he die out of shock. On the other side, Domingo, Carlotta’s son, is unable to go back to college due to financial crisis occasioned by the demise of his aunt.

A seemingly distressed Carlota storms into an office building after staying in the lift for what seems to be an eternity.

Carlota: Is he in? I need to speak to him as a matter of urgency.

Receptionist at CIA: Who?

Carlota: Fletcher, the head of CIA. I know he is in there. I’m going in.

Receptionist: Just a moment madam. Appointment?

Carlota: (Now even more agitated) What? Are you kidding me? Wasn’t she your colleague? Do you not care about Selina? It doesn’t trouble you that her killers are on the loose and you, the CIA are sitting on your damn asses? I’m going in.

Fletcher: Good morning Carlota. How may I help you?

Carlota: You can’t help me. Since you can’t find the killers of my sister, I’m here to help you instead. I know who killed Selina. It’s that weird boyfriend of hers. I knew it right then. I’ve always had the feeling. The writing is on the wall!

Fletcher: Slow down Carlota. That’s a sensational accusation. His alibi checked. Remember?!

Carlota: No! Doesn’t make sense at all. He had the motive. He is a drug dealer. Took advantage of Selina but she finally saw him for who he really is, a drug lord! You know I’m right Fletcher.

Fletcher: Even if you are, the evidence does not support your theory. Unfortunate. I know you are hurting but let us do our job. We owe it to Selina as CIA and as our former colleague.

Carlota: (Amid tears) Hurting is an understatement of what I’m going through…what my family is going through. Haven’t you seen my father in that bed? I can’t even tell him Selina is no more. At least when I tell him, it might hurt less if I also told him that the killer was behind bars.

Back at Carlota’s home…

Domingo: Any breakthroughs mum? Am I going back to school?

Carlota: I’m sorry Domingo. I’m so sorry.

Domingo: It’s okay mum. We’ll be fine. As instructed, I haven’t told Papi a word about it.

Carlota: Good. Hang on in there, you’ll be back to school once the CIA sign off on your aunt’s benefits. Just a matter of time.

Phone rings…

Carlota: Carlota speaking…

Fletcher: This is Fletcher. Got news for you. You need to come to the office right away.

Carlota: Right away. Thanks.

At the office…

Carlota: Finally!

Fletcher: Yes, a breakthrough finally. But it doesn’t look good. Good news is we have proved motive for her boyfriend to want to kill her and we have a witness that is willing to testify to the fact that he ordered and payed for the hit on Selina. Bad news is that we can’t take him down without soiling the reputation of your sister. She was an accomplice to some of his dirty business, intentionally or not, we don’t know. Either way, she’s cooked.

Carlota: Oh my God. This can’t be real. What now?

Fletcher: I shouldn’t do this, but for Selina I’d bend the rules…we take him down, he goes down with your sister’s great reputation of service and with it the financial benefits due to her.

Carlota: Oh no! What now?

Fletcher: You tell me. I want you to decide. It’s the reason I wanted you here in person.

Justification

A. I would have my character (Carlota) grow into a character that chooses compromise rather than justice or revenge. In light of the financial distress occasioned by her sister’s demise, coupled by an ailing father and an out of school son, letting her killer go to protect the name of her sister and consequently open the gates to the benefits would be the better option.

B. I used the third person point of view because it allowed me the opportunity to look at the situation from a bird’s eye view. I went for the view because it helped me narrate a story without emotional bias.

C. I would definitely employ this point again in my future works. I like the liberty and freedom that comes with the third person point of view as it offers me the opportunity to create my characters.

D. I just finished reading William Shakespeare’s classic ‘The Merchant of Venice’. In his play, Shakespeare employs the third person point of view in telling the woes that befall Antonio following his defaulted loan given by Shylock. The author’s choice of point of view offers him the liberty to explore the intrigues surrounding business and cultural life in Venice.

E. The contemporary text I’m currently reading is ‘Become a Better You’ by Joel Osteen. In this literature, the author employs the second person point of view. Through this, the book is able to live to its expectation of being the voice that addresses the reader to show him/her how to become the best version of themselves.