An Exercise in Malevolence

I apologize beforehand for whatever headache may be inspired by what I am about to relate.

 After I had taken "Permissible License" with the structure of the story just finished, I was feeling somewhat bold if not outright cocky. As that story was winding down, I got it in my head for some reason to see if I could structure a story based off of the sequences within "La Villa Strangiato" from the Hemispheres album by RUSH. For those of you unfamiliar with this little ditty, I seriously recommend looking it up... and wearing headphones unless you're driving. In that case, turn it up as loud as you can and see where you end up on the other side. As for why I would attempt such a thing, I honestly do not recall the germ of inspiration on this. It wasn't anything planned. It was not some old idea waiting to spring forth. Instead it was "Hey, I wanna do this!" and then getting out the old Math to see if the idea had any merit.

Guess what? The idea did have merit. In fact, as soon as that initial math came back and it was cleared by the Disbelievability Department (often called when my Math Section comes up with numbers that fit), I was committed. I just needed to do a little finer math so as to make sure as to what I was getting into and to start allowing Concept Central to put their boys at work (I've made inquiries... they blindfold one member and dunk him in a tank with apples, each representing a possible idea) as well as let Design know not to tear down the recently finished used set from the last story. This actually got a memo back up 'cause only once had that happened before where a conceptual set was erected and re-used directly... that example being the previous two stories. Still, I had to get things going so when the secondary math checked out, under disbelievable scrutiny, well, there are complaints outstanding that the dunking was so energetic it almost amounted to water-boarding.

I dispute those claims.

I need to lay this stuff out but first I'm going to gather my ingredients for this massive mixed-up mess of mixed metaphors that I am going to be shamelessly embarking up in order to get this accomplished. The Hero of this Tale was a clear choice... or at least he was after he wouldn't get out of my face about it. Seriously, he started preening about saying it's a perfect role for him and that I really needed to get this on if he's going to bag all those he needs to. With that logic, I gave Leo Tarkenfeld the nod. This was to be a part of "The Crimes and Executions of Leopold Tarkenfeld" series, one focused on the "executions" aspect. In other words, this was to be a vengeance Tale as Leo sought to get revenge on those he considered responsible for his botched and unjust execution. This was gonna be a ghost story.

Leo's the main ingredient, the big chunk of ass in the pot which is itself the decennial celebration being held in Baird's Holler. Hey, come to think of it, considering the atmospheric aspects in this and the other Tale of this day (both by the way available in Dark Owl Publishing's A Celebration of Storytelling), the celebration actually does take place in something of a pot... or a big, huge bowl. Ah, these useless asides... What I needed were the specifics. For that, I needed to turn to the primary source material for the conceptual construction of this piece, "La Villa Strangiato".

Again, if you have never listened to this piece, do so. It's just exemplary in every way. The song clocks in at 9 minutes and 35 seconds and is broken up between 12 sections, each of which were apparently inspired by dreams RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson was having while they were working on that album, Hemispheres. As for those 12 sections, and being that this is an instrumental, they each have their own flavor and all sorts of intricate music stuff that I am only qualified to appreciate and absolutely love but am not, with my inability to tap my toe to a 4/4 beat, anywhere near qualified to talk about. Those 12 sections each has a name though and that is what I needed. They are, with the breakdown of their lengths in song duration, as follows: 

1: Buenos Noches, Mein Froinds // 0:00 - 0:26
2: To Sleep, perchance to dream... // 0:27 - 1:59
3: Strangiato Theme // 2:00 - 3:15
4: A Lerxst in Wonderland // 3:16 - 5:48
5: Monsters! // 5:49 - 6:09
6: The Ghost of the Aragon // 6:10 - 6:44
7: Danforth and Pape // 6:45 - 7:25
8: The Waltz of the Shreves // 7:26 - 7:51
9: Never turn your back on a Monster! // 7:52 - 8:02
10: Monsters! (Reprise) // 8:03 - 8:16
11: Strangiato Theme (Reprise) // 8:17 - 9:20
12: A Farewell to Things // 9:20 - 9:35

Okay, so this is how this worked out and why there is currently an investigation into who locked the Auditor from Disbelievability Department was found locked in a broom closet 7 weeks after this story was completed and this game set in ink. Looking at the shortest section (#9) here, it is 10 seconds long. I realized immediately that if I based it as such, then we're looking at a number well over 90 depending on how numbers round up and down. Taking the next shortest, we have #10 which rounds nearest to 15. Okay, let's see what happens when I very loosely (remember that phrase) do a quick and rough and not overly accurate breakdown into 15 second increments. If anyone does this, the manner in which they round their numbers or what generosity is given here over there might end up differently but that run through gave me 39 sections. Handing that over to the Math Section, they responded that if I had 40, then that would divide nice and evenly into a 5,000 word idea if what was percolating in my mind was to be brought forth.

Here is where things get suspicious and I am pretty sure I know what all happened. See, chances are, the Math Section, eager for a win, got together with the guys in Concept who in turn called in Design and a consensus was reached. If we could squeeze off that extra section, we got ourselves a deal. What was needed was to take out Disbelievability (seriously, cannot believe they did it that way), hopefully distract him or something (tied up in a closet for 2 months!), while that 40 section plan was ratified by a very in-on-it Concept Central. What happened is that Disbelievability was not just hot-boxed until he was too stoned to disbelieve the math, but something much more confusing. I think it might have had me realizing as I finished air-drumming the umpteenth repetition of this piece in preparation that the physical effect of a proper listening of "La Villa Strangiato" should include a few extra seconds wherein the participant, for that what this experience becomes, basks in the adrenaline high brought on for just long enough to justify that extra 15 seconds. This excuse has been submitted for review. I myself find it extremely valid and am running with it nonetheless.

Well, the plan got approved and production started immediately. Casting was brought in to look over the script and brought up a question that would hold serious consequences as to who would play the foil. Judge Worthington's boy, the one whose name no one seems to recall and I've never been able to pin-point, was the original prey sought but I knew it was not Worthington's time yet. I also knew who was behind it and as I was playing with my initial speculations, I realized I had the mystery of this story involving Worthington and his boy which was hinted in my 3rd story finally solved and really ready to tell... only this wasn't the time and in the time since, it has not leapt before others to find itself tapped out on my keyboard. It will though because it is ready, just need the moment (and a full Doors playlist, from beginning to end, for this one).

I also knew that I would not be considering Caleb Walsh this Tale as "The Journal of Caleb Walsh" pretty much clarifies that situation up to a certain consideration of the word "clarifies". Caleb did get to make an appearance, something nearly every haunt appreciates the chance to do... it's kind of like when the light is just right on that courthouse wall and they get to swing in sensation there in shadow for just the briefest moment... sorry, I drifted again. Dickie is also off limits 'cause I happen to know a thing or two and I'm just waiting for a drunk dentist to travel down from Prescott... but that won't happen until early June two years later. That leaves me with Casting's curious question... "What the hell is this freaking word?"

That word was "shreves". Go ahead, off the top of your head, pretend to know what it means while you quietly start trying to look it up.

While you're doing that, I'll start with the first section. What we got is basically "Good night, my friends" split between Spanish and the obvious pretense of an accented German. Cheap joke on my part, but quickest alteration is to flip that. Yup, "Good morning, my friend" with the languages flipped. Okay, what am I going to do with that though? Easy, it's an intro and the Spanish gives me my foil, the instigator to provoke action and for this, I looked to one brief hint from "Twelve-Thirtyfour" I dropped to remind myself to someday explain why the gallows held six nooses. Yup, that was the obvious choice... obviously. This is how Joaquim Solis came into this Tale. He has a history which I really need to dive into, both the incident that has left him in the state he is as well as a sort of side-kick to Leo beyond the grave much in the way Dickie served that purpose before daisies were needed for pushing exercises.

Hey, you're right! "Shreve" is an archaic word for "sheriff", just like we all knew it was! Now I don't know if Mr. Lifeson was dreaming of the fuzz while recording Hemispheres or if to him that word, shreve, has some meaning to which I am unfamiliar, but I took what I saw and ran with it because guess who is on Leo's list? That's right, the person currently serving as the town Marshal, a position commonly confused in parlance with Sheriff, enough so to where a Shreve's Waltz could become a Sheriff's Jig... because Marshal's Mambo just wasn't gonna swing (sorry, bad pun on multiple levels). Apparently this story, "Dance of Skins", had its target. The "skin" in this case was to be one Thaddeus Barrett, previously a supporting character in many Tales only identified by his social position to this point. It was his turn to go through a few things, and then a few more, and then a couple more 'cause why the hell not. Also, yes, um, I was listening to a lot of early Pink Floyd at this time as well along with the solo work of one of the original founders. That will become important, or perhaps just a thing, later.

Here is where the complexity comes in. If you divide 40 sections (those 15 second breakdowns) into 5,000 words, you get each section representing 125 words. Thus, there you go. See... super simple. You just plug that formula in and write the story. Thus for "Buenos Noches, Mein Froinds", since it is 2 sections long, you write 250 words for that section (section title included in that count). Do that for each section multiplying that section count by 125 words to find the length needed. Keeping the sections divided, you are able to progress as needed in ordered amounts... that's if you can control yourself down to those limited spaces (that's the hard part). Plugging the content into the architecture with direct adherence will produce a story structurally 5,000 words exact with a forced progression that works good for establishment through to climax.

This chart below is what I created in Excel to steady me through this production. You'll note I don't add up the times 'cause that's all very relative in the rounding anyways. I also don't yet know how to bring stuff over and all so I hope this presentation works and helps my explanation some. I place the titles from "La Villa Strangiato" next to those from "Dance of Skins" to show the conceptual connections and progression. The subtitle here, "An Exercise in Malevolence" is a direct play on the subtitle of "La Villa Strangiato", "An Exercise in Self Indulgence". Malevolence works better for me as, well, these are the Tales of the Bajazid. As for those of you confused by the term "Lerxst", if you are not familiar with that, no amount of explanation is going suffice. To understand, all you can do is listen to RUSH and hope someday you grok.

***

Dance of Skins
An Exercise in Malevolence
La Villa Strangiato Segment Breakdown
Order	Time	Count  X 125	Words	Original Title	Dance of Skins
1	:30	2	250	Buenas Noches, Mein Froinds!	Guten Morgen, Mi Amigo!
2	1:30	6	750	To Sleep, Perchance to Dream	A Wake in Pretense of Dream
3	1:15	5	625	Strangiato Theme	Baird's Holler Theme
4	2:30	10	1250	A Lerxst in Wonderland	A Lemures in Wonderland
5	:30	2	250	Monsters!	Ghosts!
6	:30	2	250	The Ghost of the Aragon	The Beast of the Bajazid
7	:45	3	375	Danforth and Pape	Crossroads
8	:30	2	250	The Waltz of the Shreves	The Sheriff's Jig
9	:15	1	125	Never turn your back on a Monster!	Never Turn Your Back on a Ghost!
10	:15	1	125	Monsters! (Reprise)	Gbosts! (Skin Dance)
11	1:00	4	500	Bajazid Theme (Reprise)	Baird's Holler Theme (Demise)
12	:30	2	250	A Farewell to Things	Scream Thy Farewell Scream
Totals		40	5000

***

So this is it... the weirdest of the weird that I had done yet in messing around with story structure. I know I went kinda far off the reservation on this one and I know there really isn't any precedence for it, but I had fun and it turned out a pretty rip-roaring little Tale at that. Hell, that last section, inspired by a rather rare recording featuring an artist darkly hinted herein, was a delightful little joke that sadly only I'll ever get, but still, it was fun.

This story, "Dance of Skins : An Exercise in Malevolence", appears in A Collection of Storytelling put out by Dark Owl Publishing. It was finished September 18, 2019, and it comes in at exactly 5,000 words... just as planned.

My crimes are not singular here. In the production I am currently working, the expansion of a Sestina (39 line Renaissance poetry form), I have used this structure within a 2,000 word setting. Each of the "lines" in this project, titled "A Sestina Writ in Darkness", is basically a 2,000 word short-story. Two of my characters, Ernest Weber and Norbert Pike of "Homecoming" fame, share dreams. By starting halfway through the "line" of one of these, starting the dream-sequence, I have carried this dream through to the other character's "line", switching "lines" (chapter sections) and character POV halfway through the "La Villa Strangiato" segment... switching the POV mid-"line" (chapter sections) and mid-sentence. It worked better than I thought and I cannot wait to show this one off. I also have "line 37" planned, using the same template shown up above, in another 2,000 word version of this.