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Grim-Reaperess by Elisabeth Dubois (elis) - Short, Supernatural, Comedy - What gift will a mother give to her daughter, on her 20th birthday? 10 pages - pdf, format
This was a really neat short. The title caught me "Reaper" because I watch the show Dead Like Me (it's my favorite show) and I just wanted to read it, even if it ended up not how I thought it would. But it was still good.
I thought the ending was really cool, how Susan has the baby, and when she names it, she has the child, the child grows, and Susan goes back to being an infant. I thought that would be an awesome thing to see. At first, this confused and I was like, "What the heck is going on here!?" (kind of like how Susan felt) but then at the end I understood everything and I thought it was really neat. This is a very good original piece you have here (well, at least it's something I haven't heard of before. ). Good job.
That was creative and inventive and funny. I liked the strange biological clocks and the birth scene was quite well done.
I have two issues with it the first of which is the tone. It was hard for me to tell what you were going for tone wise and I almost felt guilty about laughing at the Susan injected humour. Until I checked and found out it was supposed to be a comedy. I almost think this would be much better if you left out the humour and went for creepy.
The second was the name Susan. The name Susan is given to a Terry Pratchett character that is the granddaughter of Death - or in other words - the grim reaper. Even though your character is totaly different there would be enough people that would associate her with the Terry Pratchett character. I would recommend changing her name for this reason.
Otherwise nicely done as always - good to see that you are getting a chance to write.
I've read this a couple times, but there's still a couple things that don't quite make sense to me and I was hoping you could clear them up.
Okay. First off. The opening scene was a dream sequence, right? I'm just not too sure, because you seem to ground it at first like real life with the nurse and everything, then odd things happen and Susan wakes up in bed, and now this seems like real life. Then, her mother shows up and whisks her away into the crypt. It seems to me like the crypt was a dream, too.
Because of the opening dream sequence, if that's what it was, to me, it melts into just another dream and you never draw a line between reality and dream.
I was also very confused, and I'm sure the viewer watching this on screen would be also, whether the opening scene was a dream or not, is why and/or how Mother and Daughter were both the same age, twenty.
Another thing that I didn't understand, and I'm sure it's only me because Zombie Sean and Mcornetto seem to have gotten it, but I didn't understand why Susan had to go back to being an infant and Shamaya all of a sudden was twenty and Shamaya had to raise Susan, her mom, I think? for eighty years as an infant.
This is very creative and original, which is why I was hoping you could help me out with this. I'd like to read it again (I think it'll be my fifth time reading it) while actually understanding it the whole way through.
I've read this a couple times, but there's still a couple things that don't quite make sense to me and I was hoping you could clear them up.
Okay. First off. The opening scene was a dream sequence, right? I'm just not too sure, because you seem to ground it at first like real life with the nurse and everything, then odd things happen and Susan wakes up in bed, and now this seems like real life - Mark
The first and second scene are both part of Susan’s dream sequence. A dream within a dream. Susan believes she is dreaming about her own last minutes of life, only to be woken up by the doctor’s voice, where she realizes that it’s really her mother that is dying.
Then, in real time, she wakes up in a start. There are no more dream sequences after that.
Then, her mother shows up and whisks her away into the crypt. It seems to me like the crypt was a dream, too. - Mark
The next couple of scenes alternate between Susan and her supposed mother, Camilla, allowing us to find out a little about them.
Then Camilla appears in Susan’s room, supernaturally of course; leaving Susan to believe that her mother has somehow snuck in quietly to surprise her for her 20th birthday.
In the sequence where Camilla grabs hold of Susan’s hand and disappears, Susan becomes disorientated, obedient, almost trance-like. As Susan is shown and led inside the crypt, she believes that it is all a dream.
I was also very confused, and I'm sure the viewer watching this on screen would be also, whether the opening scene was a dream or not, is why and/or how Mother and Daughter were both the same age, twenty. - Mark
The ending reveals why they are of similar age.
When Camilla was birthed, she was supernaturally matured to the age of 20 before being released into the world then, she never ages and remains that age until summoned on her 100th year.
Susan, is also a supernatural being and is the mother of all grim-reaperess. She does not age until 80 mortal years have passed; then, as she ages, she naturally assumes that Camilla is her mother. Upon rebirth, Susan has no recollection of her previous experiences.
Another thing that I didn't understand, and I'm sure it's only me because Zombie Sean and Mcornetto seem to have gotten it, but I didn't understand why Susan had to go back to being an infant and Shamaya all of a sudden was twenty and Shamaya had to raise Susan, her mom, I think? For eighty years as an infant. - Mark
This is a sequence of event that Susan endures every 100 years; she remains an infant for eighty years then, begins to mature. Upon the age of 20, she mates with the demon, this starts the whole 100 year process all over again. Camilla was Susan's last child; Shamaya, will be her next and all the other names on the crypt wall, were once her children as well. Sorry, this confused you.
This is very creative and original, which is why I was hoping you could help me out with this. I'd like to read it again (I think it'll be my fifth time reading it) while actually understanding it the whole way through. - Mark
I hope the next read won’t be as confusing. I hope I have cleared the script up for you, let me know whether I have or not. I thank you for the read(s) and appreciate you taking interest enough to try to work it out. It is my first draft so I will revise and see how I can make the sequences clearer.
Okay. I have a little bit of a better grip on the story now. There are still a few things I can't get through my thick male skull, but I got the main drift of everything now.
See, not all guys think that we know everything. We just know that we know a lot more than girls. Thank God you're in Austrailia right now, so you can't punch me.
Pretty much the only question I have now is why the demon had to bring it forward eight years. And also, if the Reaperess' live normal human lives, with husbands and everything, and if the husbands and/or friends notice that they never age.
Thank you very much for clearing mostly everything up for me. It did help a lot.
Okay. I have a little bit of a better grip on the story now. There are still a few things I can't get through my thick male skull, but I got the main drift of everything now.
See, not all guys think that we know everything. We just know that we know a lot more than girls. Thank God you're in Austrailia right now, so you can't punch me.
It's me again. Pretty much the only question I have now is why the demon had to bring it forward eight years. And also, if the Reaperess' live normal human lives, with husbands and everything, and if the husbands and/or friends notice that they never age.- Mark
the demon is trying to bring the year back to fall on the turn of the century, Just a simple slip up on his part, that has been overlooked and needs to be rectified - a lazy demon The grim reaperess never gets married and would move around a fair bit, with child. She does not live mortal years nor does Susan.
if I go further with this, there would a scene showing the demonic force enveloping Susan in protection- after all he is responsible - whilst Camilla does what she has to do. Susan is none the wiser.
Ah-ha! Now I understand fully and completely. See? We just need slapped around a little bit and sooner or later, we'll come around.
And I did enjoy this, the visuals and tone and all, even when I didn't understand. Now my only hope is that you based this on a true story and Death really does have a sense of humor. :-)
This was a little strange, well actually a lot strange. I was a bit confused about the dream sequences at the beginning and to double check the slugs to see if i had missed something.
Like Mark, I wondered how friends wouldn't notice how Susan and her mother, however she might be, doesn't age. I see that you've answered that now.
The images are strong and are spooky. I too would like to see this as a kinda fantasy horror rather than a comedy. Don't get me wrong, it is funny but the setting suits a serious short for me.
Anywho I did like this but found it confusing.
Check out my scripts...if you want to, no pressure.
I still think a light hearted humor is better than a horror, but 1/2 the reviewers thus far think otherwise; might have to rethink that one.
So half the people think it's good as a horror too. I think the best thing is that you like it and if you like it as a comedy horror then keep it as a comedy horror. Afterall it's your script. I know scripts have to be rewritten to keep the majority happy but you could lose sight of what you wanted to achieve.
This seems a bit of stupid thing to say as I was one of those who said maybe it would be better as a straight horror but then that's just my opinion.
I do think it could do with a tweak here and there but stick by your guns and you'll be happy. Whatever you do with it I'll be sure to read it again.
Check out my scripts...if you want to, no pressure.
This story was entertaining. I enjoyed that whole Susan and Camllia scene where Susan refuses to listen to Camllia (the lalala scene I'll like to call it.) This reminds me alot of Greek stories since most of the gods and goddesses act like children in the stories. lol. I also love the fact that they curse. lol.
The only problem I saw were: You tend to repeat alot such as the sluglines "moments later" and the description "total darkness". Find some other way of saying these especially for the total darkness description since its on your first page. If its in your slugline, its really not necessary to repeat it again in the description.
Also, I got a bit confused when Susan meets Camilla near the window sill. I thought that Susan had known about it, not that she was somehow dreaming. As the reader, I understand that it is taking place but the character doesn't know. However, Susan doesn't present that until later with the slap and the lalala part. Try including that immediately when both meet.
Hope this helps, Gabe
Just Murdered by Sean Elwood (Zombie Sean) and Gabriel Moronta (Mr. Ripley) - (Dark Comedy, Horror) All is fair in love and war. A hopeless romantic gay man resorts to bloodshed to win the coveted position of Bridesmaid. 99 pages. https://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-comedy/m-1624410571/
I don't really have a lot of suggestions here. I thought it was pretty good and I liked the over all idea.
I would suggest though to change the name Susan. Seems a little too modern for someone who's been around "forever".
I would take Michael's idea if I were you and turn it into something a little creepier and drop any comedic references. You have nice characters and creepy places and situations. Develop that some more.
Again, I think you've come up with an original idea, but you are right, it's not film noir. You can turn it into creepy horror though. I think this would work great as that.