Magazine Cover Feature & Article

This project was for another class at Full Sail University. We were charged with creating a magazine cover and writing a feature article, interviewing our future selves. It shows our ability to create using Adobe Creative Cloud.

Flash Fiction

The Diner, The Waitress, The Movie Star

By W.L. Peterson

Heavy rain blankets the small coastal town of Stone’s Throw, South Carolina. It’s hurricane season, and the town’s catching the tail end of hurricane Wilma.

Big Lou’s Diner is open. It’s the last place to stop, eat, and gas up for the next hundred miles, according to the faded billboard out front.

Big Lou, weighing a hefty three-hundred pounds, runs the diner herself. It’s almost closing time and Lou just wants to close shop and go home.

She grabs a metal spatula and scrapes the black build-up off the grill, when the bell above the door dings and someone walks in.

“I’ll be closing in 20 minutes,” Lou says as she continues to clean the grill with her back turned. “The only thing I can offer you is a cup of coffee.”

The sound of shoes sloshing slowly across the floor, echo in the empty diner as the person walks to the far end of the counter and takes a seat. “Okay, that’s fine,” the voice replies. “I’ll have a black coffee.”

Lou drops the spatula and freezes. That voice.

Lou turns around and sitting there at the end of her counter, soaking wet from the rain—David Steele.

David’s been the number one box office draw for the past ten years. He’s a handsome man in his mid-forties, tall, chiseled, and a smile to die for.

Lou says, “Oh my god. You’re—”

“Yes, David Steele,” David replies. “I’m in town shooting a movie and had car trouble down the road. I figured I’d walk here and wait for my wife to come get me. I didn’t want to be stuck out in that storm.”

“Yes, it’s terrible out there,” Lou says. “It’s as if God unzipped it, whipped it out, and pissed it down on Stone’s Throw.”

David laughs, “That’s one way to put it,” he reaches out and touches Lou’s hand, “How about that coffee?”

Lou draws her hand back instantly.

David’s hand is frigid and wet. “I’m sorry. My hands are normally warm,” David says.

Lou blushes and says, “Let me get your coffee.”

“Thank you,” David replies.

Lou brews David a fresh cup of coffee. Steam emanates from the cup as she hands it to David.

“This’ll warm you up,” Lou says. She hands David the coffee, and rushes through the double doors to the back of the diner, to call her husband Kenny— the local sheriff.

“Hello, Kenny? You’ll never guess who is sitting in my diner,” Lou says smiling.

The lights in the diner flicker.

“Sorry Lou,” Kenny barks. “I don’t have time for this. That movie star, David Steele and his wife, had an accident. Their car was swept off the road in the flood, and they drowned. The coroner said they died yesterday. So, sad.”

Lou’s heart sinks to the bottom of her stomach.

“That’s impossible, Kenny,” Lou says as her voice trembles. “David Steele is sitting here at my counter.”

The bell dings above the diner door. David’s wife walks and quietly takes a seat beside him.

At that moment, the phone line goes dead. The lights in the diner start flickering off and on as if keeping pace with Lou’s accelerated heartbeat.

Lou hangs up the phone and slowly walks through the double doors— returning to the front of the diner. She looks toward the end of the counter where David’s sitting. Except now, she sees David and his wife.

When the lights go off, David and his wife look bloated and disfigured. Their skin is a slimy blueish grey, with lumps all over. Their eyes are bulging out of their sockets, and they smile from ear to ear, with no teeth. Only darkness in their mouths.

When lights come back on, the couple is gone.

But when the lights go out again, the couple stands merely inches from Lou’s face. This time, they have no eyes. The sockets of their eyes are as dark as the holes that filled their mouths.

Lou slumps down in the corner, like a kid trying to hide from the scary monsters in the closet, and trembles.

Lou cries out, “I just want to go home, I just want to go home, I just want to….”

Her heart beats faster and faster, louder and louder, and… just stops.

David and his wife slowly fade away.

The death of David Steele and his wife made national news. Fans around the world mourned their tragic deaths. However, in Stone’s Throw, South Carolina, Kenny mourned for his beloved Lou.

This flash fiction project was one of the first flash fiction pieces I'd ever written.

EXT. STONE’S THROW, SC - NIGHT

Heavy rain blankets the small coastal town. It’s hurricane season, and the town catches the tail end of Wilma.

EXT. BIG LOU’S DINER - NIGHT

The last place to stop, eat, and gas up for the next hundred miles. There’s a neon sign that sits atop of the diner with it’s name. All the letters are red except for the “g” and “o”, that are burnt out.

As the rain batters the windows, we can see one occupant inside, as a figure approaches the diner.

INT. BIG LOU'S DINER - FRONT AREA - NIGHT

There are three fluorescent light fixtures in the ceiling.

BIG LOU, late 50’s, owner, obese, grabs a spatula off the counter and scrapes the black build-up off the grill.

A bell above the door dings as someone walks in. One of the light fixtures dims and Lou looks up momentarily at the lights, then returns to cleaning.

BIG LOU

I’ll be closing in 20 minutes.

Lou continues to clean the grill with her back turned to the stranger that enters.

The stranger drips water on the floor and their shoes make a sloshing sound, as they slowly walk to the end of the bar and take a seat.

STRANGER

Okay, that’s fine. I’ll have a black

coffee.

Lou drops the spatula. A look of familiarity comes across her face as she listens to the voice.

Lou turns around, gasps, her eyes widen.

BIG LOU

Oh my god. You’re --

DAVID

Yes, David Steele. I’m in town shooting

a movie and had car trouble down the road.

DAVID STEELE, mid 40’s, handsome man, tall, chiseled, and the whitest teeth this side of the Mississippi, sits at the end of the counter. But he looks disheveled. Right eye a bit bloodshot, Water drips from his hair and clothes.

DAVID (CONT'D)

This is the only place I’ve seen open when

I drove by, so I figured I’d walk here and

wait for my wife to come get me. I didn’t

want to be stuck out there in that storm. I

hope it’s no bother.

Lou smiles and her cheeks turn a cherry red color. She walks to the end of the counter where David sits.

BIG LOU

No bother at all! It’s terrible out there. It’s

as if God unzipped it, whipped it out, and pissed

down on Stone’s Throw.

Lou grabs her stomach and let’s out a loud chuckle.

DAVID

(laughing)

That’s one way to put it.

David stops laughing. He smiles, reaches out and grabs Lou’s hand.

DAVID

How about that coffee?

Lou draws her hand back instantly and steps back.

DAVID

I’m sorry love. My hands are usually dry

and warm. However, it was about a quarter

of a mile walk to get here and in that storm,

even the devil himself would have cold hands.

Lou blushes and becomes at ease again.

BIG LOU

That’s quite alright Mr. Steele. It just

startled me for a second. I guess I should

have expected it. Let me go grab that coffee

for ya. It’ll warm ya up until the misses

comes to collect you.

David nods.

DAVID

Thank you beautiful.

David winks at Lou. Lou blushes.

Lou turns and walks over to the industrial coffee machine. She grabs a white ceramic mug, places it on one of the two treys beneath the spout and pushes the BREW button.

The coffee machine makes a semi-loud churning sound. Dark brown liquid escapes the spout and pours into the cup. The churning stops and so does the liquid.

Lou grabs the mug from the trey, turns, walks over to David. She places the mug on the counter in front of him. Steam emanates from the heat of the coffee.

LOU

Here ya go Mr. Steele. Now you be

careful. That there is pipping hot.

David grabs the mug, gulps down half a cup, not bothered by the heat of the coffee.

A look of bewilderment forms on Lou’s face for a second.

DAVID

Thank you, and just call me David.

LOU

Okay Mr. Ste...I meant, David.

Lou giggles, turns around and heads toward the two silver doors that separate the front from the back of the diner.

Before Lou enters through the doors, she looks back over her shoulder at David.

LOU

I need to take care of a few things

in the back, I’ll only be a minute.

I’d love to meet the misses.

David finishes off coffee, places the mug on the counter.

DAVID

(smiling)

She’ll be here shortly. We’ll wait for

you to come out from the back before we

leave. Lou nods, turns, pushes the double

doors open and walks through.

INT. BIG LOU’S DINER - BACK AREA - NIGHT

Lou enters, turns right and sees her old, tan, tattered purse. It sits on a grey stool. She walks over to her purse, opens it and retrieves her cell phone. She dials a number.

EXT. STONE’S THROW - DESERTED ROAD - ACCIDENT SCENE - NIGHT

A blue Mercedes sits in the distance surrounded by cops, cop cars, medics and an ambulance.

KENNY, late 50’s, Big Lou’s husband, local sheriff, dressed in his uniform, stands in the rain, processing the scene where a car washed off the road and into a river, when his phone rings. He removes the phone from his pocket and see’s his wife name on the screen as an incoming call. He answers on the third ring.

KENNY

Hello.

INT. BIG LOU’S DINER - BACK AREA - NIGHT

Lou covers the phone slightly with her hand.

LOU

(whispering)

Kenny! You’ll never guess who's sitting

in my diner! The lights flicker on and

off. Lou looks up at the lights.

EXT. STONE'S THROW - DESERTED ROAD - ACCIDENT SCENE - NIGHT

KENNY

Sorry Lou, I don’t have time for this.

Kenny takes a deep breath and sighs.

KENNY (CONT'D)

You know that movie star that you’re

always gushing over, David Steele?

INT. BIG LOU'S DINER - BACK AREA - NIGHT

Lou’s eyes widen.

LOU

(curiously)

Yes...

EXT. STONE'S THROW - DESERTED ROAD - ACCIDENT SCENE - NIGHT

KENNY

Him and his wife were involved in

a car accident. My guess is he didn’t

know how bad the roads were flooded and

attempted to drive through. The car got

caught up in the water, and it was swept

into the river, causing them to drown.

According to the coroner, they’ve been

underwater since late last night.

INT. BIG LOU'S DINER - BACK AREA - NIGHT

Lou’s heart beats faster and her eyes widen more.

LOU

(voice trembling)

T-t-that’s impossible Kenny. David

is sitting here at my counter waiting

for his wife.

INT. BIG LOU’S DINER - FRONT AREA

The lights continue to flicker. The bell above the door dings as David’s wife enters.

She walks slowly towards David. Her body jerks as water flies from her body with every movement. She leaves wet footprints behind on the floor with every step. She reaches David and takes a seat beside to him.

INT. BIG LOU'S DINER - BACK AREA - NIGHT

The call drops. The lights continue to flicker on and off.

LOU

(frantically)

Kenny? Kenny?

There is no response. Lou places the phone in her purse. She creeps slowly towards the double doors and pushes them open.

INT. BIG LOU’S DINER - FRONT AREA - NIGHT

Lou enters and looks to her right. David and his wife sit at the end of the counter smiling at Lou.

DAVID

I told ya we’d wait for ya.

The lights darken. David and his wife are bloated and disfigured. Their skin is a slimy, blueish gray with lumps covering their entire bodies. Eyes bulge out of their eye sockets. A wide grin forms across their mouths, literally stretching from ear to ear.

David’s wife attempts to speak, but when she opens her mouth, water pours out like a water fall. They look at each other, laugh, and return their attention to Lou.

Lou trembles more, stumbles backwards, closes her eyes and shakes her head. She opens her eyes.

The room lights up and the couple is gone.

The lights go out and the couple returns. They are now behind the counter, and stands merely inches from Lou’s face.

The bulging eyes are gone. There are only empty holes in the sockets. Water pours out of the sockets.

Lou grabs at her heart, backs to the wall, crumbles to the floor, stares up at the couple, and cries.

LOU

(breathing heavily)

I just want to go home. I just want

to go home. I just want to...

The cries stop. Lou’s breathing stops. Her eyes stare upward at David and his wife as they fade away.

INT. KENNY AND LOU HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY - DAYS LATER

The news of the Steele’s death plays in the background on the television.

Kenny, wearing a dark 3-piece suit, sits in his old brown leather recliner. He reaches inside of his jacket and retrieves a paper obituary with Lou’s picture on the front. He closes his eyes, presses the paper against his lips. Sobs.

Short Film Script based on short story.

For this project, we were task to write a short film script based on the flash fiction we wrote. The original version of this script is in Final Draft. It showcases our ability to create scripts in Final Draft. The Final Draft version is available upon request.

Personal Projects

This section showcases personal projects I've been working on. Links to a website, books, and published stories.

This is a link to a website I built for the fictional town of Stone's Throw. It gives readers a closer look at some of the characters I created, that exits in this town.

This is a link to my latest self-published book, "Three Nights in Hell and Other Scary Stories". Available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle, under my pen name W.L. Peterson.

This is a link to ScarsTV/Down in the Dirt Magazine. I have two stories published here under my pen name W.L. Peterson.