So after some deep thought about plot I have a new beginning outline. It gets to the kids faster. It gets to the idea that Seit has both Native American Indian blood in her, as well as Royal Egyptian. The problem is, that I have written many chapters already with the old outline. So I am trying to blend what I have already written with this new outline. It seems to be working. Cutting, pasting paragraphs here and there. But, I won't know until I read the first four or five chapters as a whole unit.
Below is the new Outline:
Issues: Is this a story about a 1/8th native American finding her roots? Or is this a story about a half native American, half Egyptian finding the Link to magic between the two cultures?
New Outline needed because:
- Less Uncle and Adult roles
- More kids involved
- More on odd Egyptian things happening
- Her bear and an Egyptian symbol are seen by the old Indian
- Get her to the Link faster / why else could she be there besides following her Uncle? Brainstorm…
Why would Seit go to the totem graveyard?
- Class trip?
- Group sneaks away?
- She sees her parent's seaplane crash in a dream in the circle?
- The old Indians sense it in her and keep her due to crash?
- Bullies still exist
- She runs away back home
- Egyptians grab her at the coffee shop / take her to Egypt for her blood and the Link to be placed back in the pyramid
New Outline:
Scene 1: Action Scene
Setting: Totem Pole Graveyard
Characters: Seit, Mindy, Lex, Mr. Gayle (as school guide)
Purpose: To show Seit as mischievous. To show odd things happening to her. For her to meet her spirit guides. For her to find The Link, and bond with the other 2 characters. For her to see her parent's death in the seaplane.
Plot: Seit and her friends, Mindy & Lex, skip out on the guided tour around the new totem poles and the "real" Indians carving them. Maybe the "play" real Indians, sort of poking fun at them, by taking off their shoes? They head down a path that says not to pass. They find the totem graveyard. These are real totems, never before seen by a non-natives of Alaska. They play hide & seek, since the fog is so thick. Seit takes off her shoes to be more silent. Soon she is alone, feeling like they left her. She sees something sparkle in the moonlight. It catches her attention? She digs into the totem. Out pops the Link. Holding it she sees her parents die in a seaplane crash. (they are on a 3 month safari: hopping from island to island in a seaplane)
Related to Scenes 2: Seit runs after seeing her parents die, and sees her animal spirit guide – the bear.
At stake? Getting into trouble with the teacher for leaving the group. Fighting with friends, as she calls out to them and then turns on them. Harming an old totem pole. Herself, by believing what she saw. Stealing something real gold from the ancient grounds.
Conflict? Seit vs. Friends = when she believes they've left her there : Seit vs. teacher = when she hears him calling after them
Further the Plot how? The beginning of The Link and uncovering the power Seit has inside of her
Scene 2: Contemplative / Action
Setting: Locked inside the Totem Pole Graveyard with the Bear
Characters: Seit, Bear, Unknown Indian, Mr. Gayle
Purpose: For Seit to meet her guide in the Indian world / and to be seen by a native and recognized at the blood heritage of both Indian and Egyptian
Plot: Seit runs toward where she thinks she came in, the vision was so real, it scared her…Out of the fog a bear swipes at her. The gate is locked. She thinks her friends locked her in there. Furious and scared, she climbs the fence – and as she is falling she sees a native Indian watching from behind a tree. Next thing she knows she's being shaken awake by Mr. Gayle. She's shaking and remembering the dream, and asking about her parents. She's hysterical, crying, and trying to run, but her ankle is in pain. Mr. Gayle grabs her hand, her parents aren't dead, she drops the gold piece from her fist. The Indian appears to accuse her of theft.
Related to Scenes 1 & 3: 1: She meets her guide / 3:
At stake? Her life with a wild bear. Friendships = she's pissed at them for leaving her and locking her inside. Being expelled from school.
Conflict? Seit vs. Bear / Seit vs. Indian = as he does not come to her rescue when she calls out to him. / Seit vs. Mr. Gayle = screaming about her parents / Seit vs. Indian = as he accuses her of theft
Further the Plot how? The tribe challenges her return home.
Scene 3: Dialogue
Setting: Indian tribe: bunch of half-breed Indians sitting in partial Native American dress
Characters: Seit, Mindy, Lex, Indian of the Woods, Mr. Gayle
Purpose: To make Seit have to stay /
Plot: They must handle offenses done there…there and the old ways. Mr. Gayle stays, but the rest of the class must return to the mainland. Her friends sneak off in the confusion – to stay with her too. Mr. Gayle finds out, and allows them, since Seit's parents could not be reached. He feels she needs someone there for her. The Indian who saw her pleads his case. They pass judgment, and Seit is awarded to the tribe for 9 days of work. / Indian's discuss amongst themselves in hushed voices about Seit and her obvious Link to both worlds.
Related to Scenes 2 & 4: Related to 2 in that Seit's parents can't be reached – she is still nervous about her super real feeling dream / Related to 4
At stake? Seits freedom.
Conflict? Seit vs. Tribe = they ask questions and treat her like a child / Seit vs. Mr. Gayle = she's angry for her parents not coming back for her
Further the Plot how? Keeps Seit in Alaska so the Indians can educate her on the timing, who they believe she is, and what she must do to save humanity
Scene 4: Contemplative / Dialogue
Setting: Tribe's Campsite / Cave
Characters: Seit / Indian boy (Hinto Honiahaka), Lex, Mindy
Purpose: Indian boy gets Seit up to speed on what the Natives think she is, a mix between Native Alaskan Indian blood and Egyptian, royalty. She is showed old books, and stories on walls in a cave, while Mindy and Lex join them.
Plot: Seit is unpacking her things in her new hut at the campsite. Mindy and Lex had to go back with Mr. Gayle to the small town hotel. Mr. Gayle must bring them back to school, while Seit is left here for 8 days to work off her theft charge and destruction of an ancient totem pole. While Seit unpacks, she gets angrier and angrier. Where are her parents? How could they not come to rescue her? How can these wanna be Indians keep her here legally? How could her friends abandon her here? She is crying, when the young Indian boy throws rocks at her window. He motions her to follow, and she does. Meanwhile Mindy and Lex are waiting for her in a cave. The boy got them and brought them there too. The writings on the wall show a picture of Seit and her lineage to both tribes. She is the Link.
Related to Scenes 3/5: Related to 3 in that she is now in her new home for the next two weeks / related to 5 in that she now knows who she is and what is expected of her
At stake? Her destiny / is she really The Link? Will she go to Egypt?
Conflict? Seit vs. herself / Seit vs. parents / Seit vs. friends / Seit vs. Hinto Honiahaka
Further the Plot how? Gives her background on herself / gets her curious to go save Egypt from the dark rising there / to know more about herself and her Indian background as well / how can that help her to win?
Scene 5: Action
Setting: Cave / Anpaytoo's path to her hut
Characters: Seit, Hinto, Mindy, Lex / Anpaytoo
Purpose: To get her to the wise one / and bond the three
Plot: As they are talking in the cave they are attacked. Some of the Indian tribe believes she is the key too, but want to control her. They want the power of Egypt to take over their land again. Hinto screams at them to run to Anpaytoo – the medicine woman – the others won't follow there – afraid of her traps and magic – follow the bear – he says. They run out of the cave, barely escaping, dodging and fighting. They keep running. What bear? What is he talking about the others want to know? The crashing ahead through the trees shows the grisly. Seit chases after her. The go deeper and deeper, colder and colder, trees change, things hang from them – shrunken heads, bones, feathers, dead birds. The bear keeps going to Anpaytoo's hut.
Related to Scenes 4 & 6:
At stake? Not finding Anpaytoo's hut / being caught / scary stuff on trail
Conflict? Seit vs. scary stuff / Seit vs. bear / Seit vs. Mindy & Lex
Further the Plot how? Gets Seit to the medicine woman to get the things she needs to get to Egypt and win
Anpaytoo takes Seit's curse off of her / she gives her a sacred string for the gold charm she found in the totem / she gives her a map of the pyramids and herbs from the tribe / she gives Mindy and Lex things of protection...
Off to continue on this new path...
And as always,
Write~on
Angie
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