He wove his fingers with mine, and I wished he’d say something, but this wasn’t his problem to solve. This was all me. “It’s bigger than that day on the playground. I’ve been trying to eject myself from my own life this whole time, but I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to hit play.” I looked around at the crew, at his fantasy costume, at the gorgeous dark lake. “I want to be part of this.”
“Only one way to do that,” he said, so solemn I held my breath. “Elementia tattoos.”
I laughed and punched him in the arm, and he leaned in to kiss me.
“Iris!”
Eamon groaned, his lips nearly against mine. We turned to face my little brother.
Ryder held up a bowl of ice cream. “I’m designing sundaes for the crew. This one is special for you.” I took the bowl, and he pointed out all the additions. “Dark chocolate ice cream with coconut and a few crumbled cookie bits. I crumbled the cookie myself. Mr. Donato said it shows culinary ingenuity.” He sat on the bench, waiting intently as I took a bite.
“It’s great, Ry.” It really was. “Can I share this with Eamon?”
“Okay, but just a little bit. I’m going to make him a special sundae too. It’ll reflect his personality and individual tastes.” Ryder sprinted off, and I held out a spoonful to Eamon. He leaned forward, and I couldn’t even process thoughts as his mouth sealed around my spoon.
“Mmmm,” he said. “Tastes of consolation prize.”
I giggled. Things were different from when we kissed on the ferry. That had been spontaneous. Now it felt like we were going to kiss again because we had to—because gravity demanded it. I took another bite of sundae, savoring the dark chocolate and Eamon’s company and the potential that seemed to be everywhere all at once.
IRIS & RYDER Film: Elementia
Director: Cate Collins
On Location: Day 7
Killykeen Forest, Ireland
Filming Notes:
Filming canceled.
ROAD TRIP
I knew something was wrong when I woke up. Something newly wrong.
I peeked through the trailer window. There was no hustle to the craft services area. No disputes about lighting or power cords. Nothing. I sat up and found Ryder gone. For once, I wasn’t scared. He was with Mr. Donato. I trusted that man. Or maybe the impossible had happened and I was now trusting Ryder. Either way, something was amiss—and it had nothing to do with my brother’s absence.
I found our film side for the day on Ryder’s bed. Filming canceled stood out in bold letters. I grabbed my phone and found a half dozen angry texts from Julian.
Holy shit, Iris
What the hell is going on over there?
What did I tell you about reporters?!
My hands started shaking as I replied.
What did I do?
It was the middle of the night in California. No way he’d respond…and yet his dancing ellipsis appeared instantly. I waited for what felt like five minutes, but in Julian’s swift texting, it was probably fifteen seconds. He sent a URL. I clicked it.
Family of famed high fantasy author M. E. Thorne speak out about the cursed film adaptation for the beloved first novel in the trilogy.
“Elementia,” which chronicles a young female heroine who must save her twin brother from demon elf-like creatures, is in production under the direction of Cate Collins (“Girls First” and “No Water This Year”). Filming on location in remote parts of Ireland, I caught up with the cast and crew for a look at a titanic adaptation on the brink of disaster.
Amidst the frustration and near-constant catastrophe, this reporter has confirmed that from the original green light, the production has suffered funding cuts and producer rollover. Iris Thorne (granddaughter of M. E. Thorne) spoke out about the attitudes on set. “They’re all a bit brainwashed.” She also admitted to dreaming “of having the film shut down.”
Thorne continued by pointing out that the cost of this epic seems to be falling on director Cate Collins. “She’s giving her all” and “works endless hours,” Thorne said. An undisclosed source at Vantage Pictures revealed that the studio has had doubts about Collins shepherding this project, wondering if a production of this magnitude and cultural significance should have been placed on her unproven shoulders.
What may have once seemed like a grand idea—to adapt the feminist answer to the Tolkien legacy and to ride the popularity of Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” films—now seems post-iceberg impact but pre-sinking, even in the eyes of the famed, deceased author’s surviving family who believe she “wouldn’t have been pleased.”
Also Read: Julian Young to co-lead in high fantasy adaptation “Elementia,” alongside indie darling Shoshanna Reyes and unknown Irish actor Eamon O’Brien
I died a little, sinking into Ryder’s mattress, squeezing my phone. “That was all out of context,” I said to myself. Then I texted that to Julian. Twice.
He fired back:
Doesn’t matter. Damage done.
There’s more bad news. You should go talk to Cate.
I had a blinding urge to stay hidden in the trailer, but that was my fear talking. I could recognize it clearer and faster than ever, but that didn’t make it easier to quiet. I tied my dark hair back, hurried into my comfy jeans that hung low on my hips and my favorite, softest T-shirt. Time for comfort items. If I’d brought Mr. Mellow, my favorite childhood stuffed sloth, to Ireland, I’d have him snug in my arms right now.
Outside the trailer, my first thoughts were about Eamon. He was supposed to be filming with Shoshanna today. More Nolan and Sevyn scenes. I’d been excited to see them in action again. Maybe only the day was canceled, not the entire film. That was possible, wasn’t it?
At the edge of the green-and-gold lake, I found a small, grim posse made up of
