What if We Rewrite the Stars?

Act 1: A Million Dreams:

Phineas and Charity headed up to a gate that was overrun by vines. Phineas climbed up and over the gate as Charity followed him. The two of them looked in awe at the abandoned house before running up the stone stairs. Leaves and vines were everywhere when Charity admired the stone statues of the lions on the stairs.

"They can say, they can say... it all sounds crazy. They can say, they can say... I've lost my mind."

Phineas headed into a pile of vines when Charity looked at the green leaves before seeing a hand that held out for her.

"I don't care; I don't care... so, call me crazy." 

Charity took his hand when he pulled her into the hidden entrance to the abandoned, dark house. 

"We can live in a world that we design." Phineas sang as they looked around, seeing every window boarded up, vines growing everywhere, and dust collected on every surface. 

"'Cause ev'ry night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keepin' me awake."

Phineas found a match, lighting it because they couldn't see. He chuckled when he showed the match over a lion statue, making Charity scream before giggling. He found an old lantern and used it to look around.

"I think of what the world could be. A vision of the one I see. A million dreams is all it's gonna take. Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make."

As they continued through the house, Phineas shined the lantern over one of the lions, causing it to shine over the walls like the carousel they had seen while walking around.

"They can say, they can say... it all sounds crazy."

Several weeks later, Charity sighed as she got into the carriage with her parents, who were going to drop her off at finishing school. Philo and Phineas walked out of the Hallets' home while Phineas sighed, carrying fabric rolls.

"They can say, they can say... we've lost our minds."

Phineas dropped the rolls, running after the carriage, despite his father trying to stop him. "Enough!" Philo scoffed, grabbing Phineas's arm. 

"Charity!" Phineas yelled out while Charity looked back into the window of the carriage.

"I don't care; I don't care... if they call us crazy. Run away to a world that we design."

For months, Phineas and Charity wrote letters back and forth to each other. They waited for each letter just to read what the other was thinking. Meanwhile, Phineas's father was getting sicker and sicker.

"'Cause ev'ry night I lie in bed. The brightest colors fill my head."

But once winter came, Philo had gotten worse and passed away, leaving Phineas on his own, which was hard as a kid.

"A million dreams are keepin' me awake. I think of what the world could be. A vision of the one I see. A million dreams is all it's gonna take. Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make."

Phineas tried to steal a loaf of bread, being so hungry and unable to afford it. But the guy at the stand caught him, throwing him to the ground. But a sweet woman, who had a birth effect, offered him an apple. He thanked her for her kindness before she walked away. He watched as people stared and moved away from the kind woman because of her face.

"Newspapers! Amazing stories from around the world!" Phineas said to people walking past him as he tried to sell the newspaper he found in the garbage.

"A million dreams are keepin' me... awake." The two of them sang, reading letters from each other. 

Charity was in her room at the finishing school, while Phineas sat in an abandoned alley while it was snowing. He had nowhere else to go.

"I think of what the world could be." 

"A vision of the one I see. A million dreams is all it's gonna take." Charity sang, standing up to get the letter that Phineas snuck into the postman's bag. "Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make," Charity said, looking at his letter that continued even when the two of them went from being kids to teenagers.

"Come! Join the Great American Railroad! Three meals a day. Roof over your head. Fair and ample wages. Come, make your fortune! See the open plains of America! Opportunity awaits you, sir, out on the rails." A man, who stood on a box, said to a crowd, handing out flyers. Phineas was intrigued by his words, 'causing him to do just that... Join the Great American Railroad.

~753 words~