Shards and Phractures

This is an entry into this week's Friday Challenge, which can be found here . The challenge: Look back from the year 2049, and figure out what's being celebrated on July 4. "Grampa! Grampa! Did you see the fireworks?" The old man bent down, and handily scooped up his youngest grandson. "You bet I did. Were they good?" "They were cool!" The boy hopped down, and ran off to get munchies. "Gramma! Gramma!" "Pop," James said, "Jim's got a report coming up. July 4 essay. He's got all the ancient history in there, but the tutor wants him to cover the Days, too. Think you can help him out?" "I'd be glad to. Where's he at?" "Stuffing his face, where else...?" An hour later, a well-fed child and his equally well-fed grandfather sat across from each other in the big overstuffed chairs by the fireplace. A video fire burned on the overlay screen, for the cheery appearance without th...

Please note that this is NOT an entry into the Friday Challenge, which can be found Here . Due to the demons of Otogu (that's "other things of greater urgency"), this entry is well over twelve hours past the deadline, so it is not eligible for this week's Challenge. However...that's not an excuse to not share it. Trailer One: Camera pans across Italian countryside, with voice-over, "...in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, two star-crossed lovers..." Sunset, with camera pausing on Italian village. Sunset. Fade to black. Text: "The legendary love story, retold..." Fade in on brick wall. Voice-over screams. Blood sprays across the wall. Text: "...with a modern twist." Juliet is in the tub in her chambers, with bubbles all around. She's speaking to the nurse, behind her, across the room and over her shoulder. The nurse has her back to both Juliet and the camera. Juliet: ad-libbing, and ending with "...so, how do you...