Up From Down {Character Study}

(I didn't take this picture, found it on Pinterest. I am going to use it as cover inspiration for the film.)

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Lines are blurring, I’ve been running

Away from my past, I’m just barely existing

Not sure how to tell

Up from down

Fabricate lies, throw on a disguise

Tell the world that I’m fine, just buying more time

Not sure how to tell

Up from down

I burn with desire, I burn like a fire

I am the Judas, and I am the liar.

Not sure how to tell

Up from down

Stage has been set, the money’s been bet

Those who stole my world, I’ll avenge yet  

Not sure how to tell

Up from down

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This is part of a song I've been writing, with a character from Fugitive (my screenplay) in mind.

Dominik Schaar is a very broken teenage boy who lost his parents as a young child. They were murdered. He watched it unfold before his eyes. Now, he is a jaded, cold shell of a human who cares for no one and has learned to shut out reality, and even the moral state of his existence. He has learned to tune out his conscience, or at least, most of it. He has trained himself to hate and hate passionately. His eyes glare icily out at the world, untrusting, cynical. His heart burns with a longing to exact justice on those who he deems deserve it.  

His one desire in life? To get even with his parents' murderers, the Communist government which oppresses the country wherein he lives. Ever since he witnessed their shootings, he knew what his purpose in life was.

Rebel against the tyranny.

Every day, he trains his body to accomplish the ultimate fitness and strength possible. He escaped from the many foster homes which tried to take him in, and now he survives in the wilderness alone. And besides the never-ending nightmares and constant sorting through what is truth and what is not, life is decent enough for him. He's surviving, anyway.

And then, one day, his life is turned upside down for the millionth time. He stumbles upon a group of city kids...eleven of them, to be precise. Eleven city kids surviving (more or less) out in his neck of the woods. Eleven Christian city kids. They might as well be criminals, outlaws, due to all the anti-Christian laws in the country at that time. Actually, they are criminals. Their parents were arrested for their faith.

And yet somehow, here they are. In Dominik's territory. As he soon discovers, his life will never be the same.

Ever since a fellow writer friend suggested Dominik's creation, I loved the idea. He has evolved into one of my favorite characters in the screenplay. He is so broken. So dark, so lost inside. Outwardly he plays it cool, showing no emotion except that signature icy glare, and maybe the occasional sardonic sneer. But inwardly? He is an empty shell, his soul iced over, harboring nothing but hatred and anger. And no matter how hard he has trained himself to try and forget, there are still those sharp daggers of pain which pierce him daily. He has thrown away all memories of happy childhood before the shooting, he has forgotten what is was like to laugh, to smile, to love. 

But there is hope. I won't go into the details of his possible redemption, because the truth is, we never know what happens to him, whether he truly is redeemed or not.

But there is a sliver of sunshine which is penetrating into the dark blackness of his being.  It may be small, and very subtle, but it's there. There's hope for this troubled boy.

What do you think of Dominik so far? Do you have any characters which are similar to him? Dark, broken, lost, spent, cynical? I would love to hear about them!

P.S. The reason I'm posting today is because, since it will be my birthday party tomorrow, I won't be able to post a WriterlyWednesday post unfortunately. Sorry! I was really looking forward to posting that next name list, too. Hopefully today's post satisfied your writing side a little. ;)