AusGlitterati - Stories

In 2012, nine gifted teenagers arrive seek to win up to fifty thousand pounds for themselves and for charity by appearing on a special edition of The Weakest Link. An athlete, a pop singer, an academic genius, a television actor, a charity founder, a published novelist, an app developer, a theatre actress and Lance Lovecraft, a professional dancer. Only one can win, but none of the little treasures play to lose.

Sometimes the brain fails and the heart is left to pick up the pieces. Tyson, the son of a heartless politician and an abusive control freak, has survived four suicide attempts, and has now been committed to a psychiatric ward. With severe anger issues, unhealthy behaviours and a tendency to self-harm, Tyson's terrific treatment team fights a difficult battle. Another boy in the ward, Vladimir, suffers from schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress. Tyson thinks he's perfect.

Teenage Triumphs aired a few months ago. In Australia, the network saw another country's successful special episode, so why not throw caution to the wind and try one last time by replicating the UK's success?

This is Talented Teens - eight teenagers represent their schools in a test of endurance, intelligence and teamwork, but strong personalities collide when they must vote each other off one by one until only the Strongest Link remains - featuring Tyson, Elijah, Veikko and Topher from my other published stories.

On their nineteenth birthday, Declan returns to Jason's resting place for the first time in a whole year and speaks from the heart.

(Monologue)

Declan has some difficult things to say to Jason on the day they would have turned eighteen and brings him one last blueberry muffin. They always were Jason's favourite.

Diego's professional wrestling career isn't going so well. He's unpopular, homophobic and lacks charisma, both on and off screen. Gay icon Lance delivers a disastrous debut match and becomes the scorn of the industry. Management decides to give them both another chance and pairs them together - Diego is a seasoned wrestler and Lance is a talented entertainer. With no chemistry and nothing in common, the two aren't nearly as friendly behind the scenes as they are on camera, but with both their careers hanging in the balance, they'll have to find some way to make it work.

At an all boys' boarding school, closeted Elijah finds on his bed a strange love note. A small poem. It's not a very good poem, but apparently another boarder at the school is in love with him! On the other side of the paper is an amazingly detailed sketch of the four of them - Elijah and his friends Reggie, Tiger and Owen. When a second poem and sketch sets a recurring precedent, Elijah enlists the help of his friends as he becomes increasingly obsessed with finding whoever is leaving him these cryptic, artistic symbols of love.

After dreaming of his brother the first night he moves out of home, Declan writes to his Jason, realising that moving on takes time.

Seth's ability to read people makes him lucky with cards, but unlucky with love. While participating in a world-class Poker tournament on a cruise ship, Seth finds himself distracted by the one person he can't seem to figure out.

Elijah sometimes feels as though he doesn't belong. He's still in the closet, and he is the only Jewish boy in the whole dorm. During the end of the school year, Elijah's friends make him feel included when they gift him a Jewish ornament, a menorah, to hang from the Christmas tree in the common room. When it goes missing overnight, the consequences threaten to spoil the holiday spirit for everyone. As Elijah pieces together what happened, he discovers more than one truth.