Elle Jones

Chapter 2: Unexpected News

As the minutes became hours, Austin and I hatched a plan to come up with a plot, characters, and scenery for their film. Austin suggests that we should do a comedy movie, while I wanted to make an action film.

"Action?" Austin says with an unsure look. "Do you think we have the money to make an action movie?"

My face scrunched, thinking about the money in my bank account; because I work in a nursing home for six years, I have $690.

Though it covers my clothes, apartment bills, and shopping, it wasn't enough for special effects, lights, and modifications to my camera. And as for Austin, his moms gives him a thirty dollar allowance.

"Well, I think we can get by with $690," I shrugged. "What about you?"

Austin shrugs his shoulders. "I have $125 dollars in my piggy bank."

"Okay," I calculated the results. "So, we have $815."

Austin nodded in response. "That's a ton of cash, but I doubt that we'll do the special effects."

"Also, we need costumes, makeup, and some good actors, but they all cost a lot of money; I don't think a thousand dollars is enough."

I moaned, "Shit, you're right: well, an action movie is out of the list."

"How about a comedy?" Austin suggested.

I frowned, shaking my head.

"Absolutely not," I snorted.

"Come on, it'll be fun." he grinned. "Everyone loves jokes."

I shake my head again sadly. "None of us are good comedians, Austin. Besides, Scott insisted on a drama film."

"But drama can have some comedy." insisted Austin. "Like that movie, 22 Jump Street."

I look at him in disbelief. "I am pretty sure that's a comedy film."

"Ugh," Austin sighed. "Well, you know what I mean."

I sighed, "it's a great idea, though, but do we have a title? Plot? Climax?"

"How about, 'My Last Breath' ?"

I shake my head again. "We have used that title before, remember?"

Austin threw himself on the bed and moaned, staring at the white ceiling above him.

"You're right," he mumbled. "We did use that title."

My Last Breath is a film which Austin and I created in third grade; it was about a science dystopia era, where a virus broke out-due to a failed science experiment-and make people turn into flesh-eating zombies.

A rural family of three are the only ones who survived the epidemic, however, they have difficulty surviving little food and resources.

With the help of my brother Jacob and his classmates, I had them focus on the abandoned parts of New York: alleys, broken warehouses, apartments, we even found a farmhouse in the middle of the woods and decide to use it as a background.

Some of Jacob's friends were good in face painting and design, so I allowed them to do their work while I rehearsed the lines with Austin and Mr. Keswick.

With shared ideas and minor problems, the short film became a huge success, receiving awards for Best Acting, Best Costume Choice, and Best Director.

But even though we received positive criticism for our film, I doubt that the sequel would be greater than the first movie. Let alone be on the cover of the New York Times.