Combo Story- Old Steemian Home/ Constrained Writing Contest # 14

This is my entry for Constrained Writing Contest #14 + Winners of Constrained Writing Contest #13. I am also incorporating the Old Steemian Home from the #freewrite group.

You can find other Old Steemian Home stories by following the #steemhome tag. 😊

This week’s Writing Constraint is- Use “however, that’s not how it really happened” somewhere in your story
The story must be at least 250 words long.

I thought this was a good time to add @svashta into our Old Steemian Home stories.

I was reading @snook’s assessment of the Old Steemians Home weekly play in the OSH Daily News. She gave it a favorable review, saying that “it was the most colorful telling of an unconventional romance between two unacceptably, unappreciated peasants. The actors were extremely professional, and the show went off without a hitch.”

I would have liked to have believed her review, however, that’s not how it really happened.

I know because I was there.

The evening started like any other play night. The residents of the Old Steemian Home gathered together for the opening of the play…

But wait, first let me tell you about the rehearsal that led up to the night of the play. That way you will truly understand.

@snook spent most of the time obsessively cleaning the stage and the props with the feather duster.

@deaconlee was trying to stand still, as he was one of the props; a tree, but @snook would make him laugh every time she dusted under his branches. She would try to walk away to continue dusting, but she would hear @deaconlee whispering, “Do it again!”

This lasted a good while.

“Everyone gather round.” @mariannewest said.

She was the director of the play, written by @svashta.

@svashta sat in the audience with @omra-sky; who was only there to make fun and hackle the actors.

“Tonight, we will be rehearsing the love scene between @f3nix’s character Finley, and @brisby’s character Melina. Finley and Melina have been fighting their feelings for one another, and have finally met beneath the great Oak tree to declare their true love.”

@f3nix, and @brisby took their place on stage and began rehearsing their lines.

“Ahoy, at last I have found you my love. At last you are in my arms. I will never ever give you up! I shall kill a thousand men…” f3nix spurted out dramatically.

“Wait!” @svashta said, “That was not the line I wrote. It should be, ‘Melina, my love, at last you are in my arms.’ Not Ahoy…” He looked at @mariannewest who was lost for words.

“I think he did a great job.” She said after a moment, and then smiled.

@snook took this opportunity to run on to stage to do some more dusting. @deaconlee giggled as she passed by him.

“I think this is a good time to shoot something.” @brisby said, trying to add her own two-cents to the conversation.

“There are no guns in this play.” @svashta said; getting a little frustrated by the diversion of the rehearsal.

“Shooting Finley would be more exciting.” @omra-sky added.

“Let us just continue.” @mariannewest said; trying to keep the rehearsal going as planned.

“Melina, my love. At last. You are here. In my arms.” @f3nix said dryly; under his breath.

@brisby ignored his contempt, and stayed in character, “Finley I have waited so long to hold you. May we never be separated again. I know we will be happy for the rest of our lives!”

“I’m sorry but that just doesn’t sound realistic,” @omra-sky said, “I mean, they have been apart all this time, and now they are just going to be like… yeah we are going to be happy forever?”

“It’s called a happy ending.” I said, but @omra-sky rolled his eyes.

That’s when I decided maybe the play needed my, @simgirl touch.

“I say, we do as @brisby said, and shoot Finley. He is never going to make Melina happy. I mean really, they are both peasants. Where are they going to live? Who is going to make the money? We could just change the ending, that would be perfect!” I said, and then smiled.

“We are not going to change the ending. We are not going to shoot Finley, and these two will live happily ever after.” @svashta said, looking to @mariannewest again for direction.

“It has been a long night. I think we have done a lot of practicing.” @mariannewest said. “We will return tomorrow night for the opening act. Please everyone be here before the lights come on for the evening. I know some of you get lost in the tunnels, so give yourselves time to find the theatre. And don’t forget to do your freewrites!”

@svashta fired up his space ship and headed out for the evening.

When he returned the next night, he found that the audience was filled with the freewrite authors, and they were all eagerly awaiting the most anticipated play he wrote, and was quite proud of showcasing.

The play was very touching, and other than @whatisnew tripping the actors most of the play, the actors did a fine job. At the end of the play, when Finley and Melina met under the great Oak tree to declare their love, that’s when it happened.

“Melina my love. A last we are together. Your shining eyes have been kept from me for too long. I will never let you go.”

@svashta shook his head at @f3nix’s improvisation. But, like the others, he watched intently to see how the play would end.

“Not today!” @brisby said. “I knew from the beginning you would not be true. But with my sister Helga? That I cannot forgive!”

@brisby pulled a shiny, silver six-shot pistol from her tattered boot and then pointed it at Finley. “You will pay for your betrayal with your life!”

The audience gasped, as they were all expecting the happiest of endings.

@deaconlee began to sway back and forth to build the tension of the scene.

“Melina, no! I love only you. Your sister was… unavoidable. I mean have you seen her?” @f3nix replied.

“Those will be the last words you will ever speak.” @brisby said; a bizarre look illuminated her face.

With the sound of gun fire the curtain closed. The crowd cheered, and the ladies wept over the death of their hero.

@mariannewest, @f3nix, @brisby, @deaconlee and @whatisnew bowed to the audience, who threw flowers on stage and praised them for such a wonderful performance. @snook ran around nervously cleaning the spilled drink on the side of the stage. I laughed at the ending and praised @brisby for having the guts to follow her inner voice and conclude the play in such an exhilarating fashion.

@svashta threw the script into the air and applauded. Maybe, he thought, there is always be room for creativity. He knew he had to write another play for this cast!

To say the play went off without a hitch was an understatement. If I were writing the review, I would have said, it went off with a bang!

Special thanks go to @snook for designing the Old Steemian Home, and the Sims to go along with our stories, and to @omra-sky for beginning the story concept, and allowing us to continue writing about it.

Special thanks again to @snook for making @svashta’s Sim at last minute, and without notice. Credit goes to her for the pictures! Thank you!!!

If you enjoy writing, you will enjoy both the Writing Constraint Contest hosted by @svashta, and the Daily 5-Minute Freewrite, hosted by @mariannewest.

Thanks for Reading!

You can find other Old Steemian Home Posts Here:
@omra-sky Freewrites, Friendship, And The Old Steemians Home!
@snook That Night in the Shed~ Part 2
@simgirl The Old Steemian Home A Look Back

Made by @son-of-satire