The Soul Connection Chapter 7: The Dangers of Mine

Chapter 7: The Dangers of Mine

Viola: I need to talk to you. Someone tried to shoot me. They obviously wanted to kill me. Please, I need to talk to someone about this, and hell no did I want to involve Danny in anything else.

Justin: Is that you, Viola? Come in. 

Viola: Yes, it's me, Justin. 

Justin: Oh good. 

Viola: I'm so confused, Justin. I haven't felt this strange since...since the accident. Help me straighten this all out. 

Justin: Tell me what happened. 

Viola: Well, I was searching that hole in the roof you guys visited last night...

Justin: You- you went up there? Did you see-

Viola: What was I going to see, Justin? Did I walk into a trap? 

Justin: Oh, no. 

Viola: As I was saying, I went up there to look around. This...b-witch- you know the word- tried to shoot me! I couldn't believe it. 

Justin: I think we need to sit down. Please. 

Viola: Okay, wait until I tell you what happened next. 

Justin: So some random crazy tried to shoot you! Did you...did you see her at all? Did she have blue hair? 

Viola: No, her hair was blonde. Why blue hair? 

Justin: Oh, no reason. Tell me what happened next! 

Viola: Someone saved me. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but he saved me. 

Justin: Someone else was there? 

Viola: That's the strange part. He wasn't always there, really. He...he told me something else that explains that. 

Justin: He isn't stalking you, is he? 

Viola: No, much stranger. He told me he was dead. 

Justin: A ghost! Oh my god, there's a ghost in this academy that saves people! Sign me up!  

*she stares at him* I'm sorry, not the time, I know. So what next?

Viola: He didn't explain to me why he saved me. Maybe he's some charming guy, who knows. Maybe he just hates death. 

I don't care. He saved me. 

Justin: So if he truly is dead, he must have died here. At the academy. Did he tell you how he died or why he was here at the time? Because if you die on a property, you cannot leave it.

Viola: He told me he was a student here once...that he died here because he was in school. I don't know how long ago he died, but he doesn't look old. His clothes are fairly recent. 

 Justin: Recent, like last year? 

Viola: I don't think so.  

Justin: Well, there's only two ways to find out. Visit the morgue burial place, or my preferred option: the graveyard out the back. 

Viola: Let's go find his grave. 

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Justin: Here we are. The Braveleia Graveyard. We could always kill two birds with one stone and search for other dead people while we're here. 

Viola: I think I want to see his grave first. Derrick Sanders. 

Justin: Derrick Sanders. Cause of Death: Two Bullet Wounds and Broken Bones. It's funny this is included on his tomestone, you think people wouldn't want to know how he died. 

Viola: So someone shot him. Twice. Maybe pushed him out the window or off the roof. 

Justin: It's possible. *he notices her stare* I'll meet you on that bench. You can say goodbye to him yourself. 

Viola: I didn't know him. What can I say? 

Viola: I'd like to thank you, Derrick, for saving my life. I don't know how someone who is dead could save me, but thank you. Maybe you don't like to see others die how you died, or maybe there's something else. Thank you, though.

Justin: I'm sure you'll be able to see him again one day. Ghosts work differently to humans, sure, but they do return to visit. 
Viola: Do you have an obsession with them or something? 
Justin: You could say that. 

Viola: I'd love to know why he saved me. The exact reason. Maybe he doesn't like bullets entering human flesh, but I don't know. 

Justin: He's a ghost. When a human dies, they join the afterlife. If you had died, you would be a misguided ghost much like him. Maybe he saved you from that. 
Viola: From becoming a misguided ghost? I don't know. 

Justin: You don't have to know what his reason is. Thank him because he saved you. 
Viola: I suppose you're right. 
Justin: We should head back inside. It's getting eerie out here. 

Viola: Thank you, Justin, for everything today. For listening to my spill and for straightening me out. I won't forget this. 

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 Finn: What...what are you doing in here? Stop. 

???: You can't stop me. I'm letting go. 

Finn: Listen to me. You won't.

 ???: You don't even know who I am. Why would you save me from death? 

Finn: It's the correct thing to do. I may be troublesome or whatever, but I won't let you die.

 *he spins around* 

Ari: My name is Ari Irwin. Who are you exactly? 

Finn: My name is Finn Goodwin. I'm friends with Justin, Melanie and April from this year's students. I can help you.   

 Ari: I know Justin and April. They're nice. 

Justin: See? You could be friends with them. Is that why you want to die? 

Ari: No. I have friends. It's not that; no one's bullying me or anything. 

 Finn: Why do you want to commit...suicide then? If you have friends and you aren't bulllied, why bother wanting to end your life when it's perfectly fine? 

Ari: It's not my friends or bullying.

 Ari: It's much worse, but you don't need to be involved. 

Finn: I do want to be involved. I want to help you, Ari. 

Ari: I only want to die. Try to stop me. 

 Finn: Sometimes I really hate selfish brats like yourself. All you care about is what you want and what you need, but I'll tell you one thing right now. You only want to die because you can. It's not worth it.

 Ari: You don't know me, Finn Goodwin. You don't know why I want to die, but you still think it's foolish or 'not worth it'. You do not know my life story. 

Finn: Don't do this to yourself. 

Ari: Why? You're not even my friend.

 Finn: Maybe I'm not your friend. Maybe I'm just some stranger, but I do want to save you. If you could only tell me why...

Ari: You'd benefit from saving me, wouldn't you? Some pretty girl set you up to it.

 Finn: Maybe someone did tell me to help you, but maybe not. Please, I'm not a horrible person. I make mistakes too. I've thought about death, like you are now. 

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 Mrs Hinkel: Hello, Finn Goodwin. I'd like to chat to you if that's possible. 

Finn: Of course, Mrs H.

Mrs Hinkel: This is about your record, Mr Goodwin. 

There's some terrible news.

 Finn: You shouldn't believe everything you read. Most of that file is nothing major. You can count on that. 

Mrs Hinkel: I'd like to believe that your record is correct, Finn.

 Finn: I'm an honest person, Mrs H! Listen to me. 

Mrs Hinkel: Prove this to me, sir, and maybe I'll reconsider showing the file to the principal. We cherish welcome behaviour here.

 Finn: I'm worthy to stay at this school. Please, let me stay here. 

Mrs Hinkel: I'll allow you to show me you can change your tune, Mr Goowin. 

 Finn: You will not regret this, Mrs Hinkel! I deserve to stay. 

Mrs Hinkel: I do say, Mr Goodwin, you're certainly enthusiastic. 

Finn: I've gotta keep an education, Mrs H. 

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 Ari: If you must know why I wanted to die, it's because of my father. He's always drunk, and on the rare occasion that he isn't, like in the early morning, he's angry. He yells at me for anything. He abuses me.

 Finn: I'm so sorry. You're here now, though. You don't have to be around him anymore. 

Ari: He called me before to tell me how useless I am. It fueled a fire in me that lead me here. I didn't want to ever see him again.

Finn: Come with me. I want you to meet someone. 

 Ari: Okay, I will. Thank you for this, Finn Goodwin. 

Finn: No, Ari Irwin, thank you. You've made me realise that my life is nothing compared to other's. 

 Ari: I'm sure your life is just as tragic as mine. We all aren't perfect, right? 

Finn: No, we aren't. You're always welcome at my house or in my room. *Ari laughs* Not in that way.

 *Melanie stares at the both of them* 

Melanie: Finn, Finn's friend. You need to follow me. 

Finn: What's up? 

Melanie: It's April. 

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 Justin: What happened to her? 

Melanie: I don't...I don't know. I found her alone in here, curled up. 

Finn: Did someone hurt her?

----

Earlier....

 April: *voice over* Art has been my manager since the early days of my career, and he's been my rock. Whenever I'm sad, he's there for me. Whenever I'm bored, he makes me laugh. Now, he's sick and I can't help him. Luckily, we can still videochat.

 

 April: Arthur! Hey, you look so wonderful! Are you getting any better? 

Arthur: I don't know, April. I'm trying, I promise. 

April: I miss touring.

 Arthur: I know, I do too, but my position has changed. I can't be there to help you through the tour. Yes, I know you've grown, but it wouldn't be the same. 

April: I couldn't bear to tour without you, Art.

 April: It's fun here at the academy. I've met some really wonderful people. There's this guy named Justin; he's gay. There's Viola and Daniel; dating. Then there's Melanie; the popular girl, and Finn; the troublemaker. 

Arthur: They sound perfectly random, April. I'm glad.

 Arthur: I don't want you to worry about me, April. I'm fine, honestly. The doctors tell me they can help. 

April: I know, but is helping enough? 

Arthur: It is for now. I'll always tell you my progress, April.

 April: Thank you, Art. You know much your health means to me. I want you to be healthy again so I can go back on tour. The fans miss me, can't you hear it? 

Arthur: Record another video while I'm gone. 

 

 Arthur: I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise. This health issue will go away soon enough; give or take a few weeks. Honestly, I'm fine. Upload something fresh in the meantime. 

 April: Maybe, Arthur. Maybe I'll cover another Taylor Swift song or another song I've heard a million times. Maybe that'll happen. 

Arthur: Why does it sound like you don't want to? 

April: Because I want to help you. I will.

 Arthur: Don't do anything stupid, April. 

April: I won't. 

*she ends the call*

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 April: Here I am. *voice over* What am I doing here? I don't know science. Sure, the basics are still floating in my head somewhere, but I can't cure someone. No- I will cure him. He must survive.

 April: You can do this, April Landon. *voice over* Science isn't too hard, surely. It's just mixing things together to....to what? What do I do? I know! I mix things together! I will help him.

 April: *voice over* It must kill him to sit in that hospital room all day, waiting for the good news that they've cured him. I'd hate the confines of the four walls. Without anything to do but sit around and maybe watch TV. Watch whatever is on those rectangle screens. 

 April: Aha! It's blue...dammit, what does this mean? *voice over* There must be some signs. Like a blaring of the trumpets or a cheer squad to tell me I've done it. I need to know when I've found the cure.

 April: If I pour this in here....nothing. Literally nothing. *voice over* Bring me a sign. I want to cure him and I know he deserves it. Please, help me.

 April: Woo! Dammit, I can barely see though these thick goggles. *voice over* I care about my own safety, okay? I can't die without curing him of this disease. How he'd even contracted it, anyway? Is it contagious?

 April: Please, give me a sign that I'm even attempting to do something right. Please. 

???: You won't cure cancer by yelling at a test tube, darling. 

April: What? Who said that? 

 ???: Over here. In the coat. 

April: Who the hell are you? How the hell did you find me in here? 

???: None of that matters, darling. I can help you. 

April: Tell me who you are before I trust you. 

???: You want my name. Fine. I am Elizabeth Lancaster. 

 *April gasps* 

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Next time on The Soul Connection: Justin attempts to rekindle his close relationship with Mr Quinlan, with very serious consequences. The souls prepare for an escape back to the world of the living.