JOHN JOSEPH HAMILTON - SHORT-STORIES

John Joseph Hamilton is a screenwriter focused on film and television. Before his acceptance into an MFA-Creative Writing program, he rigorously engulfed himself in self-study through online research, to hone his screenwriting talent. He’s written several scripts and plans to have many new scripts available every year.
 
John has highlighted these completed scripts in his online writer portfolio, showcasing his skill in the craft of screenwriting. Scripts are in multiple genres including comedy, thrillers, sci-fi, horror, and more, though his favorite is thrillers and comedies. Plus, there are other media of interest utilizing scripts, like video games, comics, graphic novels, etc.
 
Active profiles in various multimedia platforms and writing groups, both online and off, has its own benefits. His desire to pay it forward with involvement in these groups and websites allows opportunities to write articles and blogs from his unique perspective detailing his journey of being a screenwriter.

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​Alice and Maynard
​(A short dialogue story)

​PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

“Are you busy next Friday, little fairy princess?”, Maynard asked.
“No, Uncle. Why?”, questioned Alice.
Maynard blurted joyfully with big eyes, “My birthday is coming up and I’d like to…”
Alice interrupted saying, “I don’t know. Corina is having a slumber party Friday night.”
Maynard smiled displaying his very yellow and dirty teeth, “That’s okay. It’s going to be during the day.”
Alice making a yucky face said, “Mom said this morning she needs to go shopping at the mall that day for a new dress.”  She followed up with, “I’m going with her.”
“She told me that, too,” Maynard nodded. “So, I changed the time.”
“Well, what time is it going to be?”
“Eleven-eighteen,” Maynard said.
Alice said annoyed, “Not now. Your birthday?!”
“Oh, three o’clock,” Maynard said sheepishly. “Listen, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to,” he said disappointed.
“Well,” said Alice. “Now that I know my mom and dad are going.”
Maynard said excited, “So, you’ll be there?”
“Is it going to be a boring adult party?” asked Alice.
“I don’t understand,” quizzed Maynard.
Alice blurted out, “Is it just going to be cake and presents?”
Shaking his head, Maynard replied wildly, “There’s going to be cake, ice cream, presents, and games.”
“What kind of games?” Alice said doubtingly.
“Fun games like pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, a piñata, and dress up.”
Alice said cricking her neck sideways, “Dress up!?”
“Yeah, do you like dress up?” asked Maynard.
“I’m playing dress up now,” followed Alice.
“I see that fairy princess," quipped Maynard. “You like being a fairy princess?”
“Oh,” Alice said excited. “I want to be a real fairy princess.”
“You do?” Maynard also said excited, “I always wanted to be a knight in shining armor.”
“You did?” asked Alice.
“Still do,” affirmed Maynard.
“If you be my knight, I’ll be your fairy princess?” asked Alice, lovingly.
Just as lovingly, Maynard said, “If you be my fairy princess, I’ll be your knight in shining armor.”
“I always loved you, Uncle Maynard,” beamed Alice.
“Truth?” Maynard questioned tearfully.
“Truth,” smiled Alice.
“Hugs?” shyly asked Maynard. 
“Hugs,” Alice replied joyfully.

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​Dark Forces Released

The choice between summoning dark magic or face my likely death using only white magic was clear. Still, I fear that once invoking the dark arts and opening myself to those spirits that I will not be able to return to white magic without any repercussions. 
However, it had to be done. I knelt in the middle of the cabin and slid my two fingers across the dusty floor drawing a pentagram within a circle and started the chant. 
Stephus, my adversary and enemy, is seeking Granger’s amulet of power. He can never possess it, or his power will be become an unstoppable, evil force. His schemes led to the death of my daughter, Alora. Granger couldn’t prove his implicit act to take our daughter’s life, but we both knew. 
I tearfully took one last look at Granger’s picture before putting that and the amulet in his wooden chest.
The door to my cabin exploded. Standing in the doorway was Stephus. 
I stood and faced him, “You have to answer for Granger.” 
He waggled his bony finger at me, “Tory, even though he was my brother, he betrayed me.” 
My face turned beet red before I released a bolt of electricity sending him flying across the cabin, smashing him into the fireplace’s stone wall. He telepathically flung a chair my way sending a shock of pain into my hip. 
Stephus made his way to Granger’s chest, opened it and raised the amulet, “Yes, at last!”
I telepathically shot the fireplace poker smacking the amulet lose from his grip. As I rushed to pick it up, he stabbed me in the stomach with the poker. I reeled back to the floor in agony. He withdrew the poker and stood over me pointing it at my face. 
With outstretched hand I telepathically released a dagger from its sheath. It found its mark, landing in Stephus’s shoulder bone. I blew a breath that jolted him back driving the dagger deeper. 
Stephus laughed and retrieved the dagger from his back, “Your daughter is still alive. I’ve raised her as my own, training her well. She looks forward to a family reunion.”
I flew into a rage and thrust him with a supernatural force into the stone wall, then drew back my arms bringing it down upon my foe, crushing him. I picked up the amulet draping it around my neck. Later, I cauterized my wound with a hot metal rod.
Again, I knelt in the middle of the cabin overwriting the circled pentagram chanting the closing ritual when a flash of lightning hit me. My hair became white, a scar lay across my cheek and my right arm withered. I sat sobbing knowing I will never be able to practice white magic again. 
Then, I picked up an oil lantern and released it. The fire spread quickly and consumed the cabin with smoke. With my pack, Granger’s picture, and the amulet, I exited the cabin and swore never to return to these cursed woods.

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​Hint Fiction stories

The Red Balloon
(The adventures of a rebellious, lost balloon)

Most balloons knew their place in society. Red wanted more and one day got his chance. He soared like the birds; his skin wrinkling, fast.

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Invisible
(A person who feels they’re invisible in the world)

Like a middle-child. Transparent imagery with silent vocalism, like background furniture. However, unique blandness that shone like a found penny, washed ashore. Dazzles, sparkling.

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Big Smile
(An encounter with Bigfoot)

Deep in the woods, alone, hiking. Sense of warning issued by his quickened breathing. Dreading turning around from fear, yet compelled. Scared shitless. Bigfoot smiles. 



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"Senuphis comes clean”
​(An alien teenager does his first laundry)
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An alien teenager (first time on Earth) is here for study “abroad” at University.
Senuphis had seen his Venusian mother, Alori, doing laundry all the time growing up on Alpha Centauri’s, Proxima Centauri B. However, his pile of shiny, rayon-induced, plasma-cooled, anti-meteor jumpsuits had grown so high that he could no longer sleep on them comfortably. So, Senuphis, our alien teenage hero, would have to now rack his brain and try to remember how his mother tackled this tough mission. Sure, his father, Denuphis Jr., had a tough daily assignment taking on the quintlithium crystal mines in the Southern Galorium caves, but he felt his mother had it tougher, watching over him and his fifteen brothers and sisters. Well, and their pet glumpit, Shenoa. Senuphis named her. And if you knew glumpits, you would know their horrible tableside manners and less than admirable toilet habits bordering on downright obscene and rank.
Anyways, as soon as he entered the “Laundro-Queen”, he knew he was in trouble. He stopped just inside the door and turned around, stopping again, sighing while he turned around again. These “beasts” that single mothers and single men wear shoving their human clothes into with relative ease was nothing like the water-encapsulates and insta-dry machines at home. His eyes started to well up while he moped his way to the first available beast. However, cleanliness is next to Alphaness. So, he steeled himself, plopping down his anti-gravity laundry basket at the “washing machine”. Standing, staring dumbfounded at the illustrative instructions, he scrunched his fast as he read more intently. Then, glancing around the “Laundro-Queen”, he studied those humans around him and quickly assessed his next task. Get money. Coin money. He found the hungry, but static monster that swallowed his slimy green paper in exchange for coinage. After accumulating a handful, he returned to the washing beast.
Senuphis then noticed a single mother adding some chemicals and blue dripery into the washing beast after adding the clothes. He wondered and quickly deduced another beast machine in the corner spat out these chemicals. He wrestled the machinations of this new beast and out popped a few boxes of the required chemicals. Placing the clothes into the washing beast and sliding the perfect amount of coinage into its slot, it started its reaction. He added the chemicals in the proper portions, then sat and watched as it spun. Senuphis then took out his smarter phone and called home only to get voicemail. As he left a message, he began to breakdown, but brightened up his attitude by exclaiming that he just learned how to do his first load of clothes. Then, he slumped in his chair and sighed, realizing his parents wouldn’t receive the voicemail for another light year. He quickly revived his spirits almost jumping out of the chair, lifting his arms in triumph noting that for being only 547 proximations old, he did relatively well in conquering his real first test of, alien hood. He softly punched himself in his bicep, relishing in the victory.

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