Kristen Gross, Kayleen Moran, Heather Weinman-Film Treatment/ Synopsis

Albatross

Inspired by

“The Raven”

byEdgar Allan Poe

The dim lighting and endless rows of books make the vast place feel small,claustrophobic. Grim. The only window to the outside world, the world beyondherself, the world that she should be a part of, instead she closes her eyes. Yeteven in her thoughts, she is not alone. She can never again be as complete, whole,on her own. The research, MLA handbooks, and unorganized drafts on tea-stained loose-leaf paper flutter to the floor. The ominous sound, the croak of the air circulationsystem, she zips up her coat. The coat that

gave to her, on her birthday, a yearbefore.She opens her laptop, ready to commit to her thesis statement. Her phonevibrates, a text. She attempts to answer the text and her computer shouts loudly ather, “You’ve got mail!” Messages from friends, spam mail, updated assignmentsthey are all mechanisms to steer her off her path. She reaches for her iPod, anauditory distraction a constant rhythm to which her heart aligns. Her book light,casting a spotlight on what should be the focus of her trip to the library, the tower,the sanctuary. She attempts a careful read. Evaluating facts, the opinions of thecritic set in stone only by their popularity over time.Her phone vibrates, a book crashes to the ground with a heavy thud, a soundthat resonates in the distance. Her glance is drawn to her left, behind her. Herphone vibrates again, with more urgency. Her inbox is flooded with mail, withdeadlines. She anxiously awaits. Her grades, confirmation, responses. Finaldeterminations. Determinations of the future. The past coming back to haunt hertomorrows. She sighs. The document’s cursor blinks, she is transfixed by therepetitive motion, the vibrations of her phone grow louder. She can feel her heartbeat faster and faster. She types the first word. A name, her hands out of sync with