PART 4 : Creating a novel plan (fast)

This time, the story outlined fully, with page counts.

Title: Schrödinger's Gig

Central Character:

• Elias Thorne – A music journalist in his late 50s diagnosed with a brain tumor (the "bullet in brain"). He uses experimental drugs to manage the pain and hallucinations, blurring the lines between reality and delusion. 

Story Outline:

Part 1: The Cat Creeps In (30 page count total)

• Elias, facing his own mortality, seeks solace in reliving past musical experiences through a combination of drugs and music.
• "Cat Crept In" by Mud triggers a vivid hallucination of a 1970s Mud concert.
• The experience is exhilarating yet unsettling. He questions if it's real (Schrödinger's Cat metaphor).
• He encounters a recurring ghost narrator, a hot young woman musician  (cool cat?) named Lily, who seems to guide him through these hallucinations.

Part 2: Time Unravels (60)

• Elias becomes addicted to the time-traveling concerts triggered by specific songs.
• "Time" by David Bowie sends him to a Bowie concert in the 80s, highlighting the deteriorating effects of his condition ("sniper in the brain").
• "Drugs Don't Work" by Verve reinforces the internal struggle between seeking escape and facing reality.
• Each jump is disorienting, with no control over the destination. This fuels the "madness is creeping over me" feeling.
• During these jumps, Elias develops a connection with Lily, who seems strangely familiar.

Part 3: Mirrors and Mayhem (100)

• "American Idiot" by Green Day reflects Elias's internal turmoil and sense of being trapped.
• "Will Follow You into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie hints at a deeper connection between Elias and Lily.
• "Teardrop" by Massive Attack emphasizes the "mirror concepts" as Elias confronts his reflection and mortality.
• He learns from ghost Lily that she was a young fan who died at a concert Elias reviewed years ago (Girlfriend in a Coma reference).
• He realizes the "coma" may be his own, with the drugs acting as a dream trap.

Part 4: The Divine Friend and the Choice (140)

• "I Don't Wanna Be You Anymore" by Billie Eilish confronts Elias with the self-destructive nature of his escape.
• He discovers a deeper connection with Lily – she embodies his lost passion for music and life. (Divine friend)
• "Jesus Wept" by Sia introduces the concept of a higher power or "divine construct" influencing Elias's fate. (Determinism vs. Non-determinism)
• Elias faces a choice: remain reliving the past or use remaining jumps to find a way back.

Part 5: Climax and Resolution (180)

• There are multiple possible endings depending on the desired message:
• Sacrifice for Love: Elias uses his final jump to bring Lily back to his present, altering the timeline but finding solace in love.
• Acceptance: He realizes the past cannot be recaptured and chooses to stay in his present, cherishing the memories and facing his mortality with newfound appreciation for life.
• Open Ending: Lost in the music, Elias disappears completely, trapped in a specific concert forever, blurring the lines between reality and hallucination.

End (Page 200)

Themes:

• Mortality and the search for meaning in the face of death.
• The power of music and nostalgia as escape mechanisms.
• The nature of reality and the blurring lines between hallucination and dream.
• Love and the importance of human connection.
• Free will vs. determinism – does Elias control his fate?