Work was the usual, and Mark preferred it so. A routine, a fixed constant with as little deviation from normal. He went to work, no longer needing to bring everyone coffee since there was now a coffee machine and heated kettle to hold the already brewed coffee, and just took notes. Most of the day was him taking notes, and adding to the discussion here and there, having lunch, repeating more of the same stuff, before finally heading home.

[Movie: The Sixth Sense (Scene 5)]

[Malcolm is disturbed by Cole’s confession, and he starts revisiting his old case files. He finds notes about Vincent Grey and realises that Vincent had reported similar experiences as a child. Malcolm begins to wonder if he missed something important in Vincent’s case. Could Cole actually be seeing ghosts? As Malcolm’s professional skepticism begins to waver, he starts believing Cole’s story. Meanwhile, his marriage to Anna continues to deteriorate. She avoids talking to him, and there’s a sense of coldness between them that Malcolm can’t explain. He feels as though he’s losing her, but he’s still committed to helping Cole.]

'A growing sense of tension...' Mark thought to himself as he finished writing down this scene, 'Finally, the emotions are becoming stronger with just me writing the text. However, I need to be careful and not get lost in this feeling. It is a drug for my mind, like water to a parched land, if I overstimulate myself with these feelings, I will no longer be able to work as normal, like it had happened in my life before.'

Thus, after writing this scene, he stopped for the night, and instead took the time to call Eddie.

"Yo! If it isn't mister flat-face!" Eddie yelled cheerfully through the phone.

"I am assuming this means you secured yourself a role?"

"Ya betcha! Matter of fact, I got a supporting role following the main character around. Apparently, I got a really distinct voice. I'm perfect baby... for the role I mean. I even saw the director get into an argument with the producer to get me into the role!"

"That amaaazing!" Mark said, and failed spectacularly at trying to sound happy. Embarrassment and being happy for others was something he was unable to emulate too well, along with some difficulties acting angry.

"That... what did I even expect from you."

"Yeah. Anyway, Eddie, you have to be way of the producer then. He might try to sabotage you, to get you off the movie, or just to vent some anger of having failed to win an argument against the director."

"Hmm, makes sense. I'll keep ma eye out!" Eddie exaggerated his 'eye' but later burst out laughing.

Mark ended the call on a happy note for once, not hanging up on Eddie since the latter did not talk about the money he had loaned Eddie for once, and decided to adjust some plans for the script before going to bed.

The next morning, with his spectacles worn and clothes freshly ironed, Mark left for work.

"Hey Mark was it, I'm Henry. I live next door. Wanna catch the bus together?" The newly introduced Henry, who looked incredibly shady with his full suit and top hat, like someone from the mafia, asked with an ingratiating smile.

'It would make more sense to avoid this kind of person... but offending them by outright avoiding them will likely make things worse,' Mark quickly came to a conclusion as well as a suitable response.

"Hello there, Henry. I am indeed Mark. Unfortunately, I am on way way to work, and it is only two blocks down, so I won't be wasting money on the bus. I do wish you good luck on your job, and a good morning to you!" Mark put what he could only describe as his most humble and beaming smile while nodding slightly, and waited for the same response from the man.

Henry, unable to say anything to that response, just smiled and nodded in return, "Good morning to you too~"

...

Mark made it to work in one piece, and put the encounter to the back of his mind, not letting it interfere with work. That was something he was good at, not letting thoughts and incidents interfere with his activities.

Returning home, he decided pulled up a new page to write the next scene.

[Movie: The Sixth Sense (Scene 6)]

[Cole’s encounters with the dead become more vivid and terrifying. One night, while Cole is at home, he sees the ghost of a young woman who was abused and murdered by her mother. This spirit vomits and appears in a distressed state, causing Cole great fear. However, following Malcolm’s advice to stop being afraid and try helping these spirits, Cole works up the courage to listen to the ghost. He helps reveal the truth about the girl’s death to her family, delivering a videotape that exposes her mother’s crime. For the first time, Cole feels a sense of control over his ability and begins to understand that the spirits may just want his help. Malcolm sees this as a breakthrough in Cole’s therapy.]

'Satisfaction... at progress? Perhaps, this is what gamers used to refer to as "The joy of the Grind" in the MMORPGs?' Mark came to an association and a smile appeared on his face after finishing the scene. It was not the false pretence he wore in front of the world, but a genuine emotion that sprouted from within, causing his facial muscles to act the way they did without any of his active input and forceful adjustments.

This time, after completing this scene, he returned to the previous scene to make changes, and then did the same for the current scene, ending up staying awake till 2 past midnight.

'I will be a long day tomorrow...' Mark stretched his body after getting off his desk and laying down to sleep, 'We are finally going to begin writing a rough draft. If all goes well, and we submit it to George by the end of next week, production on Star Wars IV: A New hope can finally begin. Oh, but it will likely be called just plain Star Wars since its not official about the other movies. I'll go to sleep right after dinner tomorrow to make up for this sleep debt.'

Stolen novel; please report.

And almost as soon as he decided to sleep, he fell asleep. Unburdened by emotions, his mind and body almost worked like a well-oiled machine, allowing him to express feats of incredible control, like going to sleep on demand, or staying awake for 49 hours without sleep and without too much decrease in activity.

Unfortunately, if he tried to do the same thing while writing scripts, he would experience emotions and his efficiency would have drastically reduced, forcing him to unconsciously fall asleep.

...

"Alright folks, we have a rough outline of the story, but it is missing the necessary dialogue, detailed descriptions of sets, actions taken by the actors in the correct order, what type of shots can be used, as well as transitions. Hmm, Mark, I feel like you can cook up the set descriptions very well," Kraig mused aloud while scratching the stubble that had formed on his normally clean-shaven face.

"Yup," Mark nodded.

"Alright then. You handle that. We already have rough descriptions, just make them all more detailed with as many possible props you can think of also written down in an orderly manner. Luke and Silvia, work together to handle the dialogue, it is a lot of work and will nee two people. Dan work on the actions the actors will take while speaking and while not speaking. You will have to work closely with Luke and Silvia on this. Bob work on the shots and how actors would be positioned in each scene. I will... supervise!" Kraig paused for a moment to think of his own role before smiling at his own ingenuity.

However, nobody faulted him for it. It was clearly observable that he had not slept too well for the past few days from the disheveled hair and dakr bags under his eyes.

'Either he is too exited for the project... or he has some issues back home,' Mark quickly came to a conclusion, but did not pay it any mind and instead focussed on his job. Effectively, he was world-building for the movie and franchise. He was laying the foundations upon which many other movies and shows would be created from, and he got to work almost immediately.

[Movie: Star Wars (Tattoine)]

[The desert planet of Tatooine, is a harsh, barren world known for its twin suns, Tatoo I and Tatoo II, which create a relentless heat. The planet's landscape is dominated by vast sand dunes, rocky outcrops, and scattered canyons, all under a bright, arid sky with intense sunlit haze.]

[Tatooine’s sky is often tinted in warm hues due to the constant presence of both suns. The planet is sparsely populated by moisture farmers, who harvest water from the atmosphere, and is notorious for its lawlessness. Major settlements include Mos Eisley, a bustling spaceport filled with smugglers, traders, and bounty hunters, and Mos Espa, a smaller town.]

[Life on Tatooine is difficult, with its inhabitants struggling to survive in the brutal conditions. Native species include the hostile Tusken Raiders (or Sand People) and the scavenging Jawas, who roam the desert in search of scraps to sell. The planet is known as a place far from the core worlds of the galaxy; a quiet, backwater planet with a surprising role in galactic events.]

[Movie: Star Wars (Alderaan)]

[Alderaan, is a serene and beautiful planet with a strong commitment to peace and diplomacy. Known as the "Shining Star" of the Core Worlds, Alderaan is covered in lush green landscapes, majestic snow-capped mountains, clear blue lakes, and breathtaking fields of flowers. Its architecture reflects an elegant and advanced society, with domed structures and clean, natural aesthetics that blend harmoniously with the environment. Alderaan is also a cultural and political center in the galaxy, led by the House of Organa, with Princess Leia as a prominent figure. Its inhabitants value art, education, and pacifism, making it one of the galaxy's most respected societies.]

[However, Alderaan's dedication to peace and support of the Rebel Alliance against the oppressive Galactic Empire eventually leads to its tragic destruction. In a demonstration of the Death Star's power, the Empire annihilates Alderaan in a single, devastating blast, reducing it to an asteroid field. This brutal act of tyranny cements Alderaan's legacy as a martyr for freedom and resistance against oppression. This happens not too long into the runtime of the movie, and sets up the 'power' that the villains of the movie possess, and set up the stakes for any future action that could cause the heroes to be responsible for allowing the villains to destroy more planets.]

Mark continued to write about Dantooine and Yavin Moon, as well as the Death Star itself, where the final battle would take place. After that, he stretched and realised it was time for lunch, so he left for that.

Returning after lunch, he got to work making the descriptions more detailed and grammatically correct as well as easier to read for other crew members.

'This will take me another day to complete at least,' Mark noted while checking out of work using his card and heading home. This time, he did not call Eddie since the latter was likely already in filming. Since it was a low-budget movie, its production schedule is not as long-winded as a big-budget production like Star Wars. Shooting would not bee too long for Eddie, but it also meant that shooting began only a single day after he was selected for the role.

Instead, Mark had an early dinner and went to bed to recover his sleep.

...

"Mark! Mark! Wake up you annoying prick!" Mark grimaced at his sister's voice piercing his sleep.

"Alright..."

"No, you need to get up now! Mark, Mom and Dad are dying! Wake up!" her voice once again found its way into his mind, disturbing his sleep as he finally opened his eyes, only to see that same scene he had seen in his past life, but all jumbled together in an unholy abomination of a memory.

His sister was floating in front of him, hospital tubes and sensors attached to her, but stretching off almost infinitely behind her, while the pale bodies of his parents floated next to her with their eyes and mouths open as though in deep shock.

Mark was not scared at the sight, not was he happy to see them. Instead, he only felt the same pain he had felt when he found out. The pain originating deep within his chest, one that he did not want to experience again.

"Why did you leave me Mark? Why did you leave me in a hospital while you went to meet our parents?" she continued as though the tubes going into her mouth and throat did not bother her at all.

"No... I-"

"Why were you not with us when it happened? If you were, perhaps she would have been in the hospital as a surgeon rather than a patient. She had her whole life ahead of her," his mother's body suddenly spoke.

"Bu-"

"And what did you do when she was in a coma and we were dead? You killed yourself? Just because you finally felt something from real life and it was not a good emotion? Just how selfish could you possibly be? You left her to her own devices, alone, trapped in an unresponsive body, and without any family member?!" His father's body yelled out in anger, sheer and unbridled rage.

"No!" Mark spat out in denial, only to open his eyes and finding himself back in his bed. However, the floating bodies of his parents and sister were not there. Instead, he was covered in sweat from heat to toe and felt exhausted all over.

'A nightmare... I've never had one of those before. I've heard nightmares are the result of your subconscious trying to tell you something. Since I can't experience remorse or guilt... is it trying to say I should feel those things? Or is it trying to show me something I missed?' Mark thought to himself while getting out of bed and getting ready for work.