It Gets Dark
Another night on stage. It's cold and dark this time. The passion, the fire, the spark in me is gone and I'm alone. Where did everyone go? Why do I feel so lost this time? I should be smiling, singing, dancing, and making people happy! Something's wrong…
Molly looks around the stage yet again, desperate to find answers. She's in a blue gown this time, more formal than the last time she was on stage in her sparkly purple dress.
Looking out at the empty auditorium, it almost feels relieving. No pressure to perform. Molly can just be herself now and not have to put on a show. Still, she misses her family and friends.
Suddenly, Molly sees a blue light in the center of the stage that flashes away in an instant. Then a microphone appears sequined with blue teardrop jewels.
Molly walks over to it and picks up the microphone. At first she's suspicious, but her curiosity overrules caution. All she wants is to figure out what's going on. If this is all in her mind, she can at least try to control it.
So Molly sings. No dancing this time. Just walking across the lonely stage, an eerie blue spotlight follows her as she sings a slower and much sadder version of her song It's a Lose-Lose. Thinking about her family and friends, losing the people she holds so close to her heart. It hurts.
As Molly sings, she starts to think of the one person the song was meant for, Libby. Her best friend and the only person she ever felt a close connection to. The one who always saw behind her lies and facades. Then she thinks about Ollie and how she has feelings for him. Her life and the choices she's made play out like a song, one that feels unfinished.
"I'll be unhappy! Whichever choice I choose…But I don't know what to do. It's a lose-lose…" Molly sang.
The song ends. Echoing throughout the empty stage.
Then Molly hears a voice.
"Molly, please wake up…" Ollie said.
Molly looks around, trying to find Ollie.
"Ollie, where are you?" Molly asked.
Suddenly, Molly hears roaring thunder and sees blasts of lightning in the night sky above her. It starts raining hard, filling up the stage with water, creating a storm all around her.
Molly tries to run and find shelter, but she slips and falls. Feeling hopeless, she closes her eyes and just lies there for a while. The water rises higher and she almost gives up on herself.
Then Molly hears Ollie's voice again, this time sounding terrified and worried.
"Molly, come on…You need to wake up!" Ollie said.
Molly opens her eyes. The spark she thought she lost is back, giving her motivation to keep going.
The pressure of the rain pouring down and the water all around the stage is crushing, but Molly forces herself to get up. She picks up her microphone and starts singing. A contradictory song of trying to convince herself she's okay when she's not, Everything is Totally Normal.
"The sun is shining, it's a beautiful day! Everything is totally normal!" Molly sang.
Molly continues to sing as the rain turns icy. She can feel the small spikes of snow and ice scraping across her skin. A cold yet burning pain that stings and cuts deep, but she keeps going.
Then Molly sings, nearly screaming in tears, the final words of the song.
"Everything is totally normal! Everything is totally…Normal!" Molly sang.
Silence. The rain stops and Molly finally takes a deep breath as she starts to gain control of herself and the environment around her. She gave herself a dark stage to release all of her pent up feelings and it helped. Everything's finally at peace.
All of the sudden, Molly feels a cold piercing pain in her chest. She looks down and sees her hands turning blue and her body shaking. She's freezing up from the inside out. Dropping the microphone as she comes to the scary realization that she's dying.
Molly falls to her knees, looking out at the empty auditorium one last time. Left with one question after everything that's happened.
"Why?" Molly asked.
Then everything goes black.
Suddenly, Molly wakes up. Gasping for air as she looks around and tries to make sense of where she is and if the world around her is real. She sees Ollie, carrying her as he runs towards her house.
Thinking back, Molly doesn't remember how she got outside or why she would think to go to the Chen's house in a storm alone. She's just glad Ollie found her in time.
Once they get to the front door, Ollie knocks frantically. Looking down at Molly, he notices she's awake and sighs with relief.
"Molly! Thank goodness you're okay…Don't worry, I'll get you home." Ollie said.
Without saying a word, Molly nods with a slight smile. She's quiet and much more timid than usual. Something happened, Ollie can see it in her eyes. Still, he tries his best to stay strong for Molly.
The door opens. Pete and Sharon stand there frozen, overwhelmed seeing Molly looking so helpless and afraid. Then they feel relieved just knowing she's home and quickly let them inside.
Ollie sets Molly down on the couch while her parents get her a blanket. They hope she'll explain what happened and why she went outside in a storm, but she just sits there quietly. A sad and confused look on her face as she tries to put the pieces together in her mind.
Sharon sits down next to Molly on the couch and that gets her attention. She looks around to see almost everyone she cares about is here for her, her parents, Ollie, Scratch, and Darryl. Still, there's one person she wishes was here too, Libby.
"Molly, are you okay? Can you tell us what happened?" Sharon asked.
Molly snaps out of her thoughts. She wants to tell them, but she's not sure how they'll take it. Was she dreaming and happened to sleep walk outside in a storm? It's all so confusing and she's having trouble processing it herself.
Molly tries to talk. She wants to open up, but there's an emotional block in her mind that's keeping her from telling the truth. Fear. She automatically puts on her happy facade, this time more shy but still bubbly.
"I'm fine, really! I just thought I'd go out on a peaceful night time walk. Then it started raining and…I must have slipped or something. You know how clumsy I can be… Anyway, thanks for finding me, Ollie. I'm home now so there's nothing to worry about." Molly replied.
Everyone looks at one another confused, then back at Molly concerned.
Molly can tell they're all suspicious and worried, making her feel even more anxious.
Lies. All I do is lie and pretend I'm okay when I'm not. I wish I could just stop, but something's keeping me from being honest. I just can't break this smiley mask…Come on, Molly. You can do this. Just tell them the truth. This fear is all in your mind. You have the power to break free.
Molly tries to speak up, to tell the truth even though she's unclear on what happened herself, but she's got to try.
"I…I need to talk to Libby." Molly said.
Everyone's still a bit confused, but they're glad Molly's at least being honest about what she needs.
"Okay, I'll call her right now and see if she can come over." Pete replied.
Molly nods and lies down on the couch, not wanting to say another word until Libby is here. She's the only one she trusts right now as the lines between reality and fantasy continue to blur.
Molly then falls asleep almost instantly, hoping she won't be haunted by another nightmare now that she's home and safe.
Sharon gets up off the couch to let Molly rest and goes into the kitchen with Pete to talk.
Ollie sits on a chair across from the couch, feeling anxious and worried about Molly. He's never seen this side of her, and it hurts to see her put herself through so much pain.
Ollie looks to Scratch and Darryl for answers.
"Is Molly going to be okay?" Ollie asked.
Scratch and Darryl look at one another, then back at Ollie who's on the verge of tears. They can tell he really cares about Molly which makes this situation even more heartbreaking.
"Well, Molly's gone through a lot, but one thing I know is she's too stubborn to give up and always tries to see the bright side in any situation. She'll get through this." Darryl replied.
Ollie nods, feeling a bit better. Then he looks at Scratch, needing an answer from the ghost that's always been by Molly's side.
"Ever since that concert, Molly's been different. I think something supernatural is going on here, but I can't figure out what it is…This whole situation is getting dark, but that's the thing about Molly. She's a light in this world and that's exactly what will help her get through this." Scratch said.
Scratch looks at Molly sadly, but with a bit of hope in his ghostly eyes.
"I believe in you, Moll." Scratch said.
Molly hears that. She may be fast asleep, but she can feel the love and support all around her from her family and friends. She just hopes it's enough.