by Jaime Savage
('Dissolve Me' by Alt J ends.)
SCENE: NOU CAMP (LATE AFTERNOON)
Luke and Ava decide to take a break from the concert and head outside of the coliseum to get something for dinner. They follow a steady stream of people departing the stadium towards an area lined with grassy embankments. The tempo is less frenzied out here and a more relaxed vibe resonates. Some of their fellow concert attendees are showing off their own musical talents by busking in the surrounding parking lot while others are sun-bathing on the embankments taking full advantage of the late afternoon sunshine.
Ava and Luke head towards a line of food carts situated in the car park. A single file line stretches from a solitary hotdog stand while the other myriad of food stands lie for the most part deserted. Ava tries feebly to catch glimpse from her petite height.
AVA
'What's the attraction here? It's just a hotdog stand'.
Ava's comments prompt a series of replies from people in the line.
GIRL IN LINE 1
'Just a hotdog stand'?
GIRL IN LINE 2
'This is Jonathan we're talking about'.
GUY IN LINE
'He's a living legend'.
AVA
'And who might Jonathan be'?
A red haired girl with a wavy fringe and eccentric dress style turns around from in front of them.
RED HAIRED GIRL
'He's one of the great whistleblowers of the century. Does that ring a bell'?
Ava shakes her head.
AVA
'I'm not from Europe'.
RED HAIRED GIRL
'You must have heard of the man who held a high end position in one of Germany's largest manufacturing companies and exposed them for polluting waterways'?
AVA
'No I haven't. What did they do when he exposed them'?
RED HAIRED GIRL
'He didn't expose them straight away'.
AVA
'What do you mean'?
RED HAIRED GIRL
'Well at first he took his concerns to head management who not surprisingly dismissed them swiftly enough. They enlightened him on the way the world worked. It-they said-was the way this company did things. It was only then, dismayed by the companies lack of morals and arrogance that he went to the press citing public safety. He started distancing himself from the company he had spent the entirety of his adult life serving. In his mind, he was protecting the environment, the people of Ruhr and the future generations from the far reaching devastation of the firm's externalities but in the eyes of the juggernaut manufacturing giant he was now public enemy one'.
AVA
'That's dreadful'.
LUKE
'I'm guessing it gets worse'.
RED HAIRED GIRL
'Unfortunately it does. The media comforted him in the early days of the court case but it wasn't long before the dreaded label of 'whistle blower' was assigned to him. Instead of being treated as a hero and a testament to human decency by the media he was instead shunned as a pariah. The public were more courteous in their treatment of him but as time passed everyone moved on. The corporation lost tens-if not hundreds-of millions of Euros in profits. After an initial decline, the manufacturing firm recovered in the years that followed and resumed churning out multi-million dollar profits. When all was said and done though, Jonathan was the irrefutable loser. Bankrupted by endless court actions against him by the cash powered firm, Jonathan was literally forced onto the streets. Unable to provide, and with the emotional pummelling he'd taken he was left in tatters. He lost his house due to the legal fees and his father passed away unexpectedly in the months that followed. Not to mention he was constantly haunted by a barrage of death threats from pseudonyms far and wide'.
LUKE
'A living hell'.
RED HAIRED GIRL (excitedly)
'Down and absolutely out, you could be forgiven for thinking that he would disappear into obscurity, never reeling his head in public again. Not a chance! Inheriting his deceased father's hotdog stand, the man, who had been once on a seven figure salary set straight to work and he's been serving hotdogs ever since. The press caught wind of his telling story and printed a few articles on his story and since then the legend has grown'.
LUKE
'So his hot dog stand has become a pilgrim of sorts'?
RED HAIRED GIRL
'He's become an bonafide legend-at least in this part of the world. He is a regular at all the major festivals in Europe'.
AVA
'What a remarkable story'.
As they edge forward in the line they can start to make out the image of the man who refused to yield to the endless misfortune that has been bestowed upon him. He is a tall, powerfully built man, with short black hair and sun kissed skin. The caravan is draped in the array of death threat letters he has received in the past. The letters flap gently in the late afternoon sea breeze. Directly behind Jonathan hangs a hand drawn caricature cartoon of him triumphing over the despicable corporation he had once dedicated his life to. Ava and Luke are now only one place away from the front of the line. Jonathan is in conversation with the red haired girl they had just been talking to about the wonders of surfing. He speaks philosophically about the powers of the ocean and the enduring respect he holds for the waves, the water and the animals of the deep.
AVA
'This man is not a hotdog vendor; it must be a masquerade. He's a preacher, a philosopher, A Zen master. It can be the only explanation. People have come from far and wide to hear the wise man speak and dwell and mediate on his words forever and a day'.
The girl in front of them makes way and it is now Luke and Ava's time with the wise one in his modest temple.
JONATHAN
'Hello my brother and sister. What will it be'?
So taken aback by their sudden audience with the captivating man before them they struggle to force out their orders. To their shame they stand in silence as the man sets about conjuring up their dinner. He hands them their food gracefully and bids them farewell but Luke isn't going to let the moment pass.
LUKE
'Why is God testing us so'?
Jonathan sizes up Luke for a moment. His stoic expression does not change.
JONATHAN
'The true character of a man or woman can only be fully gauged in their darkest moments. Anyone may join in a blissful choir of angels but it takes a true person of courage to start a joyous solo in the face of naysayers. My friends, hardships exist to bring out the best of us. Only someone who is in a place of unfathomable darkness can find that half an inch of genius that exists in each and every one of us'.
SCENE: NOU CAMP (DUSK)
(The instrumental solo in 'Time to Run' by Lord Huron plays.)
If the festivals promoters were to be believed then the Earth's final sunset had played its course. As dusk sets in the tangerine sky glistens on defiantly. Outside the stadium, hundreds of people lie on the grassy embankments taking in the beauty. A number of bonfires have been lit and people dance buoyantly around them. Lines of people collect and light candles from the bonfires to take back into the stadium. We see a girl carrying one of the candles as she catches a ride back into the stadium on her boyfriend's shoulders. We follow the couple through the stadium gate entrance and into the crowd where a band is playing passionately in the dusk light. The crowd are swaying their lights perfectly in time under the countdown timer which now displays the figures, four hours and fifty minutes. The sight of the packed stadium and the comet against the backdrop of the dying light is an enchanting image.
(Instrumental solo in 'Time to Run' by Lord Huron ends).
SCENE: NOU CAMP (NIGHT)
There is now an air of tension surrounding the Nou Camp. The infamous doomsday timer has almost run its course. The state of gaiety which had been so prevalent only hours ago in the late afternoon sunshine is now replaced with a mood of increasing anxiousness. Hale Bopp's Friend, the comet whose appea
rance had created the premise for this concert in the first place, is on this evening, at this hour, at the closest point to Earth that she will ever reach. On stage, The Secret of Youth are finishing off their set.
MUSIC
'He said: ''won't you attend the Yale prom with me?
Think of all the famous people we'd see.
Dancing and frolicking away.
Our youth will last forever don't you see?
These are the greatest days of our lives''.
He said ''oh won't you meet me in Commons at half past three?
We'll see how many shots of vodka we can drink.
Basking in our glory, blinded by our innocence.
These are the greatest days of our lives''.
Now I'm old and filled with distain.
Looking through the attic I find it.
A note from my past, a note from my lover.
A memory consigned to my dreams.
It said ''won't you attend the Yale prom with me?
Think of all the famous people we'd see''.
Filled with sadness; my youth had passed away.
Those really were the greatest days of my life'.
The song finishes and The Secret of Youth link arms accepting the crowd's applause. There are now only minutes remaining on the countdown timer. The impending doom has the effect of creating a desperate scramble as thousands of people attempt to make it as close to the stage as possible in time for the infamous final countdown. Luke now finds himself fully focused on protecting Ava who is being throttled around something fierce by the ever increasingly hostile crowd. This sudden, unexpected fractiousness is disturbingly becoming more dangerous with each passing minute as the sands of time run its course. With the timer now showing less than four minutes remaining there is just enough time for one final ballad.
Tens of performers who had taken centre stage throughout the festival's two days-including The Secret of Youth-return to perform the final swansong. Fittingly, the honours of the final song is bestowed upon The Smiths' record, 'There is a light that never goes out', a record that had been given new life and inspired contemporised people the world over during the course of the last two months. The jangling guitar sounds and with the crowd in full voice the final countdown has well and truly begun. Ava and Luke attempt to backtrack to avoid the raucous crowd but it proves to be a helpless task in the face of such hysteria. As the final chorus is sung with immense passion the floodgates are suddenly opened up and the crowd begin to invade the stage. The carnage had undeniably been building for hours and the fact that it had been prolonged until the final twenty seconds was a miracle of sorts, but when it happened, it happened so rapidly and so vigorously that it bordered on savagery. The open air stage is swamped by the obtrusive crowd who overrun it in a matter of only seconds. Security is no match against the tidal wave of incited youths. Luke and Ava hear the screeching of the microphone and then only the pre-recorded backtrack can be heard. In amongst all this activity the final countdown has begun.
CROWD
'Ten...nine...eight...seven...six'-
Ava grasps Luke tightly.
CROWD
'five...four...three...two...one'.
There is dead silence as though time itself has stood still. Finally an almighty bang sounds from the sky which startles even the bravest souls in attendance. Screams are sounded from the hundreds of thousands of people, however, this is no Armageddon in the making, nor is it the fragmentation of the cataclysmic comet coming down to Earth bringing death to all as many had proclaimed. Instead, the largest and most spectacular firework display man has ever gazed eyes upon is playing out before their eyes. Luke looks up and sees every part of sky that is visible from the stadium decorated in the sumptuous display. Every colour is on show augmented by meticulous coordination and unprecedented audacity. It is like staring into an out worldly kaleidoscope. People hug and kiss strangers in the moment. Nothing could compare to the release of joy that emulated from the Nou Camp in that one time in history occurrence. Luke looks at Ava and sees that she is looking blankly into his eyes. Their lips meet and they make out amongst all the craziness around them.
SCENE: HOTEL
(The end of 'Silent Tears' by Little Lapin plays.)
The hotel room is lit only by the glow of television which Ava is watching from a sofa.
TELEVISION REPORTER
'We are live from Los Angeles where a bizarre story is unfolding'.
The door opens and Luke enters.
LUKE
'It's all sorted. They have allowed us to check out at noon. Can you believe it'?
Ava rises up from the sofa.
LUKE
'If we leave the bags packed, we can sleep in'-
AVA
'Shut up'.
Luke is taken aback. Ava holds her hand out, Luke slowly accepts. Ava leads Luke through the darkness toward the bedroom. The news report continues playing from the television. On the monitor, a helicopter is tracking a mass of about a hundred trolley people led by a solitary figure up front. An enthusiastic reporter is running in front of the group giving a live commentary.
NEWSREPORTER 1 (speaking excitably)
'Yes Peter, this has taken everybody by surprise out here. What we do know is that a young man has arrived in one of the most destitute, poorest parts of Los Angeles and has managed to persuade a number of homeless people to follow him in some form of protest movement. We don't know exactly what this man has said to entice these people to follow him or where he is leading them exactly. This is very much a developing story at this stage'.
The television fades to black as it times out and there is total darkness.
('Silent Tears' by Little Lapin ends.)
Chapter 14
SCENE: OCEAN CITY
We are looking at a panoramic view of world's most novel city-Ocean City. Endless promotion by various tourist agencies and media personal would have you believe that the creation of the planned city was the biggest thing in the region since oil had been discovered in 1908. Funded by the tremendous -but in recent times rapidly diminishing-reserves of oil money, Ocean City had been created to not only rival but better Dubai, Doha and the other pearl cities of Arabia. It was a challenge she accepted boldly. Built at a cost in excess of hundreds of billions of US dollars it is a glorious sight. The eloquent, modern city is set against the backdrop of the surrounding sun kissed hills and skirts around a large wave-dominated barrier estuary. For all of its awe though, the city is still not fully able to fully shake off the sterile, contrived nature of its origin.
Hundreds of millions of dollars had been spent lobbying hard with the major airlines to ensure Ocean City was being taken seriously as a long haul stopover destination. The Emir, himself, had come out and proclaimed his city as the 'long haul capital of the world'. The Emir's thinking was simple. If he could better Dubai, if he could steal her thunder and overcome the status quo, his city could attempt to limit the damage of the oil losses by surviving off tourism for years to come. It was an ambitious, costly and for some an unthinkable experiment. For the Emir though, it was a risk he deemed necessary for the good of his kingdom and the generations to follow. In a bizarre twist that shocked the world, The Emir-recognising the terminal death awaiting the other oil dependent Kingdoms in the decades to come-had gone against the highly conservative nature of the region and drastically 'Americanised' his planned city. Promoted by marketing heads as the centre point of the Earth and as an oasis in an otherwise unstable and unpredictable region the jury was still out on the final verdict of its success.
SCENE: STREETS OF OCEAN CITY
Ava and Luke's limousine veers out from the airport and onto a motorway. As they enter the motorway they can't help but notice a massive tourism billboard promoting trips to New Zealand. The advert depicts an oil painting image from the 1800s of the Pink and White terraces which reads: 'Risen from the ashes. Come see the replicated natural wonder'.
As they driv
e through the city, Ava and Luke notice that some of the houses they have been passing are decorated out in preparation for Halloween. Halloween in the Middle East! It was incredulous. As they enter the central business district we see that the city appears to be a strange concoction made up of a unique blend of influences from America, Dubai and Japan. The latter could be seen best when the limo drives past a controller built into the sidewalk enabling people to play public video games. The images for the games are being beamed up onto a LED lit high-rise building architecturally designed to look like a giant swan.
SCENE: AMERICATOWN
The taxi drives through Americatown. A banal take on the Chinatowns found in hundreds of cities worldwide. Rows of American fast food joints, diners and casinos blur by as they drive along the main street. It's like Las Vegas on steroids. Further down the strip we see the neon theatre sign lights that are the Ocean City's attempt to match Broadway and the West End.
SCENE: PIAZZA
We are looking at a piazza dominated by life size, robotic dinosaurs. A fifty foot Brachiosaurus is eating the leaves from tree tops. A Pterodactyls has been programmed to fly across the piazza to a ledge. The king of the dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex, lets out its thunderous roar from the centre spot of the square. Luke and Ava navigate their way around the robots while they pull their luggage. Playing across the piazza is a video from a display the size of a movie theatre. The video depicts a young man promoting himself in a dating video montage by listing his net worth and income. The montage ends and another video commences for the next affluent bachelor. We get the impression that this is not the Middle East of yesteryear.