Synopsis & Outline

The first draft of the synopsis (approx 318 words, too long) 

At home in the south of Wales, Celia sits in her chair recalling her day so far; but it’s a shame there is no-one around for her to tell her story to. She decides to pick up the phone to call her grandson. He’s a good child, always keen to listen to her. Sadly, today, there is no answer.

Her heart breaks a little as she hears the voicemail tone. She decides to leave him a message, explaining how she’s been to the garden centre and to the shops and had a coffee with her friend over the road. But how much of that is true?

She wants him to come round, it must be at least two weeks since he last shared a meal with her. That is their thing. Celia is keen to tell him that. “Please come to see me, I’m cooking your favourite meal. There’s more than enough for two.”

Except, it’s not entirely true. Celia hasn’t been out today, she hasn’t been to the shops and the garden center closed down three years ago. She isn’t even alone.

The other side of the wall, in the kitchen, her grandson is working away cooking the meal they like - but he is listening intently. When he hears those words, his heart breaks too.

Her grandson brings the cooked meal into the lounge as his grandmother puts the phone down. They settle down and she takes a bite. It tastes great! 

“These agency workers are getting good at cooking” she thinks. Only one other person has been able to get the flavour just the way she does. It takes a moment, but she looks up at the person in front of her. He has a tear down his eye, but manages to still smile.

Her facial expressions are clear. She pauses. Thinks. Remembers... and right there - in that precious moment of memory - reaches out her hand to him.

How to improve

I think more work needs to be done to add examples of the symbolism I'd like to incorporate into the story. A second draft is needed to write this in. I'll refer back to the symbols I identified in the horror genre:

• Mirrors

  • A reflection of humanity

• Mazes / labrythns

  • Getting stuck or lost

  • Infinite

• Psychological

  • Memory

  • Mental state

The second draft should make reference to some of these in particular

A second draft, building on the first attempt, trying to add more symbolism. (423 words, way too long!)

Sitting alone in a dark room, with four pitch black walls, Celia is surrounded by her thoughts of the day. She has only the chair, a tall lamp and a mirror on the wall with her. She also has so much to say, but sadly there is no one around; so she decides to pick up the phone. Her grandson loves to listen to her, but sadly there’s no answer. 

Her heart breaks at hearing the voicemail tone, but she puts on a brave face and recalls her day to the answering machine. Celia leaves a message, proudly explaining how she’s been to the garden center, popped to the shops and had tea with her friend across the road. But how much of that is true? 

Her confidence drops slightly, with slight uncertainty in her memory. She snaps back into character - continues on about her cooking. She has her grandson’s favourite meal in the oven and she reveals her true intentions: she wants her grandson to come to visit.

It’s been weeks since he last came and shared a meal. That is their thing. “Please come round, there’s more than enough for two.”

Except, almost everything she has said isn’t true. Celia can barely walk and hasn’t been to the garden center or the shops and her friend moved to a care home years ago. In the house, she isn’t even alone.

In the kitchen, just to the other side of the wall is her grandson, working away, cooking the meal they love to share. He is listening intently to her conversation. When he hears her plea to visit, his heart breaks a little too.

He steps out and brings the meal to his grandmother, sitting in the lounge, surrounded by photos of her family. She tells the voicemail machine “I have to go now, dinner is ready. I’ll leave a plate for you.”

When she takes a bite, Celia is surprised at just how good it tastes! “These agency workers are getting good at cooking”, she thinks. Only one other person in the world has managed to cook her recipe the way she does.

It takes a moment, her eyes looking down at the fork in her hand and the food on the plate. 

As her eyes rise up to the boy sitting in front of her, she pauses - thinks - remembers. She recognises him. Her grandson, who she couldn’t ever forget. 

It’s right there, in that precious moment of memory, when it all floods back to her; she reaches out her hand across the table to him.

The third version is actually three paragraphs and is 100 words.

Cardiff, present day. Celia (83) sits alone in a pitch black room, recalling her day to her grandson (18). He’s a good kid who loves to visit his grandmother. Except, he hasn’t answered the phone. It’s gone straight to voicemail.  

Celia talks about where she has been and who she has seen. Except it isn’t all true. She has forgotten that, in the kitchen, on the other side of the wall, cooking their favourite meal is her grandson!  

He brings out two plates, food dished up. Celia hangs up the phone and takes a bite, recognises the flavour, recognises him. 

The fourth version is 100 words.

Cardiff 2024, Celia (83) is sitting alone in a dark room, attempting to reach out to her grandson (18) via phone. He’s a good kid, who loves to visit his grandmother. Except the phone has gone straight to voicemail.  

She leaves him a message about where she's been and who she's seen. But it isn’t all true.  She has forgotten that, in the kitchen, on the other side of the wall is her grandson, cooking their favourite meal!  

He brings out two plates, food dished up. Celia hangs up the phone and takes a bite, recognises the flavour, recognises him.