Literary plot genre: drama | Miami, 2022.
Main characters.
Den is a 50-year-old executive. He is divorced, wealthy, and an alcoholic. His habit gets worse day by day, until he can no longer hide it. One day at the office during an important meeting he vomits and goes on a rampage. The consequences will be being fired on the spot and the loss of his last, few friendships. Den becomes neurotic, pervaded by tics and assailed by the fear of growing old in that state, but does nothing to help himself and plunges into a state of depression.
The call to adventure
One night, leaving a bar and driving drunk, he hits a woman, killing her. Den is put on trial and imprisoned, but his imprisonment will be brief: he turns to a prince of the bar who will get him released on the payment of the substantial bail. The lawyer's skill saves him from imprisonment. Even his defense counsel manages to manipulate evidence and jury and prove in court that it was the woman who caused the accident. Den is exonerated, despite the desperation of the murdered woman's husband. When Den returns home, however, things get worse. Two months later, an 18-year-old girl shows up at his door asking for help: she is Mary, the only daughter of the woman he ran over.
The conflict
Mary is of age, orphaned by both parents who have left her with nothing. Her father committed suicide after the lost trial. Poor, with no livelihood, she is not old enough to be placed in an institution and does not want to become a drifter or homeless. She only wishes to pursue her studies and build a future for herself. Den refuses to offer her help and leaves the girl at the door for an entire night. But guilt bites at the man's conscience. Therefore he allows Mary to enter his home and be his guest on condition that it is for a short time.
The key
Life uses complicated paths to explain the sense of self. Mary is a poised and wise girl who breaks into Den's life, offering him an opportunity for redemption. But things will not be simple: on one side is an alcoholic adult with no esteem for himself or others, and on the other is a girl who has lost her mother and father, seeing her future crumble. Finding the balance point will cost tears and effort. Yet the two, at least on the surface, will understand each other. Den will become a digital entrepreneur and solve his problems. Mary will get her degree and in the surprise finale kill Den by avenging her parents.
Alternatives
This kind of plot offers itself to many possible modifications, starting with the ending: Mary could stay with Den, or Den could kick Mary out, or a third party or event could come along and change the order of things. You can change a lot of this plot, not only the place and time, but also the characters and their connections. What matters is to confront two very different subjects but connected by the grave fault of one of them.
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