The Inner Silence of Me
By Katie, Stage 5
Art Write Light 2021 is a creative writing project curated by Story Factory, in collaboration with visual artist Blak Douglas. During the program, students from Bonnyrigg High School and St Clair High School were introduced to the work of Blak Douglas, and created written and audio pieces responding to his artwork. The audio you’re about to listen to features a young writer from the program reading an extract from their work.
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO OF THE STORY
The Inner Silence of Me
Passing this place, it was dead silence. Scoffing back, all I think is crimson blood stained, screeching vivid voices stuck within a cycle in me.
Monologue
A young girl who was living an ordinary happy life with her parents. She has liked singing and dancing since she was three after watching music videos for inspiration. One day when she comes home, she learns that suddenly her parents are missing. A black long van stops by her house as men in black suits walk smoothly out of the van with weapons on both of their hands. Making a loud thump as they closed the door, the girl was taken away by force. She then woke up with a different extraordinary life lying in front of her. The girl now lives a new life where she has replaced a famous actress in the entertainment circle, named ‘Rella’.
Rella laughed bitterly thinking back to the past. She opened her window in her large white room. Everything in there made her feel sick, like she was living in a prison. The clothes, shoes, bed design and everything she owns were all ‘borrowed’ to replace an identity that was dead. She was also being threatened to make her obey her kidnappers and a whole new fake ‘family’. She had to save her parents’ lives being pulled by the strings of her ‘family’.
Rella found this dark secret when she just turned 18. It had been 4 years since she had tried to reach the top of the entertainment circle with her own talents. Today was the day where her grandfather was holding a grand banquet for his 80th birthday. Rella dressed up neatly, wearing a laced black long dress, sloped on the ends down to her sleeves, with red dotted patterns and swirls, being extremely noticeable, expertly imprinted on the bottom side of the dress, matched with pieces of lustrous jewellery.
She picked up her black leather purse and walked out of the white limousine. Clicking and clacking on the long red carpet, her heels matched the carpet as she stopped and turned her heels, lightly bowing her head to greet a familiar fellow.
“It’s been a while, Grandfather,” Rella spoke, giving a few casual statements. She then said, “I have a special gift for you.”
Rella’s grandfather, enlightened by her words, laughed in victory. “Good, good, that’s my granddaughter.”
Sliding through the crowd, avoiding the noisy reporters, they strode their way to the thick golden lines of the gateway to the door.
Much is Rife, Blak Douglas, 2021
Art Write Light is generously supported by the Balnaves Foundation.
