Blue Christmas Eve: A Short Story

INT. AUDITORIUM - DAY - 1973NANCY, 23 and pale with thick purple glasses, flattens the wrinkles in her blouse as she lingers just off-stage in an auditorium. The pulled curtains conceal her as she fidgets. The space around her is wood-panelled, quaint, and nearly empty, with rafters high above her head. Nancy swallows and pushes up her glasses. She glances around the curtain, eyes wide, watching a MAN address the crowd from the stage.INT. living Room - Christmas Eve - 1957 (Flashback)Nancy, 7 years old in footie pyjamas and thin wire frame glasses, sits impatiently beside a Christmas tree with her hands over her eyes. The room is dark, the glow of string lights filling the space, as snow falls outside the window. "Blue Christmas" by Elvis

I've got like seven posters of him.GIRL #3You're such a spaz!Nancy looks between the girls eagerly, and then covers her mouth when they all laugh. She laughs along with them, wiping a tear of joy from under her purple frames.INT. HIGH School GYM - NIGHT - 1966 (flashback)Nancy's high school gym is decorated for a school dance. Multicoloured balloons dangle from the rafters, and streamers hang from the table-clothed tables."Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers plays from the makeshift DJ table, right beside a punch bowl. The room is dimly lit and crowded. The boys are on one side of the room and the girls are on the other, a few couples awkwardly dance in the middle of the room.Nancy dances with a boy who has a blond mop-top haircut. She presses her cheek against his shoulder, shutting her eyes as she inhales. Her purple glasses bump against his suit jacket.INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYM - DAY - 1968 (Flashback)Nancy, now 18, is surrounded by her friends as she tosses up her graduation cap. She is just one in the sea of blue gowns. The gym is decorated in blue and gold streamers, chairs lining the wood-panelled floor. Banners above read: CLASS OF '68. In

Nancy's father hurriedly winds up another shot on his disposable camera, smiling widely.FATHERThat's my girl!He snaps a photo.INT. OFFICE BUILDING - Day - 1972 (flashback)Nancy, now 22, sits alone in a waiting room holding a resume. The paper is wrinkled slightly, and she rubs out the creases. Exhaling heavily, she cleans her glasses on her blouse.Next to her, the door opens. An OLDER WOMAN in a pantsuit places her hand on Nancy's shoulder. They smile at each other. Int. AUDITORIUM - Day - 1973 (Cont.)Nancy hovers just off-stage as the man finally exits the stage. She takes a deep breath, watching the man disappear, and a hand touches her shoulder. She turns and sees the same young man from before.YOUNG MANYou're on. He points toward the stage and nods. Nancy nods back, and makes her way out onto the wooden stage.The boards creak under her feet as she pushes on, the bright stage lights warming her cold, pale skin. The crowd claps as she takes her place centre stage. To her right, an interpreter stands behind the microphone. And then, miraculously, the world silences. Nancy shuts her eyes for a moment.INT. living Room - Christmas Eve - 1957(Flashback CONT.)Her