The Alternate Extras of Halesowen has always been about expanding on what has been presented in both The Alternate Adventures of Halesowen and The Future Adventures of Halesowen. One of the threads that started in the former and continued in the latter is Ross’ standing within the group dynamic. From being sidelined within the group to finding a place among them all, there was one person who couldn’t see that progress.
Carson’s leaving the college was always planned. But as such, he had the least development of everyone. But it was through Carson’s eyes that Ross’ place within the group dynamic was first explored. So, it seemed to make perfect sense that the two could become friends outside of the college environment. But where would that happen was the question I had to ask myself.
The following article will talk about new stories within The Alternate Extras of Halesowen. If you have yet to read An Adventure In New Beginnings and Delivering and Delivered, take a read of them first, then continue reading to see my thoughts on developing those two stories.
That lead me to developing the work that Carson had left the college for. No longer would he be starting after he tells the group during Elizabeth’s birthday meal. He has already been at that work for some weeks, but hasn’t wanted to reveal it. He works at a factory creating toys and other things out of metal. Said factory deals in both bulk orders and also specialised, personal works.
That gave me the idea of where the meeting of the two would be. A charity event that the factory was contracted to bulk create six objects for. An event that both Carson and Ross felt would be fun to take part in. It was also fun for me to stake out six locations in Stourbridge for where this event would take them. With the event the two would meet fully planned out, I considered just how each felt of the other at this specific time.
From Day of the Shorts in Alternate Adventures, it was already clear that Carson didn’t see Ross as someone to be shunned. Who he could have been friendly with if it wasn’t for the feelings of the others – especially Daniel and Quinn. So, it made sense that upon leaving the college, Carson was dealing with the regret of not being more friendly to Ross. On looking back at that first year, I felt a bit of animosity for the others could have developed. Which would warp his perspective of that first year.
For Ross, he also faced a warped perspective of that first year from the events of the last day. No-one seemed to stick up for him, so he kept everyone else at a distance. Not allowing for much friendliness. Except for Brandon, he had no reason to interact with any of them except for when working together. He still would at times, which is what allows him to ease back into the group whenever Daniel and Quinn aren’t around during Future Adventures. Of course, the events of the final day means he isn’t seeing that.
Bringing the two together simply meant Ross at first shunning Carson, who wouldn’t be put off by that. Knowing how tough Ross had it. Of course, Ross’ curiosity at Carson knowing more than he’d seen about the event acts as a nice way to lose the mental barriers that prevent the relationship forming. From there, it was easy enough to keep the two bonding and coming to see that things could have been different during the first year of college.
Which furthers the animosity toward the others, along with his perspective of that first year. So for a story from Carson’s point of view, I wanted to deal with that. There were two ways I could have done so. A more introspective story where he sorts through everything while working, or what I chose. Seeing the perspective of someone from the group he knows would have a reliable answer. And such also allowed some interaction between Carson and Alicia.
Since Carson was the character I least developed, such interactions allow for his place in the dynamic of the group to be seen. Allow for Carson’s view on at least one other of the group to be seen. Thoughts that aren’t far wrong, since Alicia does have the words needed to correct his perspective of events. And though he doesn’t want to reveal the fact he’s left the college to her, Alicia seems the sort of observant person to know anyway.
As for Ross, the meeting between him and Carson sets him thinking. The last story of Alternate Adventures features the point of view of both Ross and Hannah, a pairing that seemed almost natural with that particular story. The added context of these two latest stories of Alternate Extras provides something new to it. Ross has already started to open to the others. Hannah’s random theory that she’s been shunned from the group allows him to do the same sort of testing he did with Carson.
This new relationship between Carson and Ross is unlikely to see much focus in other stories of Alternate Extras, since it has always been my intention for one story per character. Except for those whose point of view revealed the full short films created during Day of the Shorts. Once everyone has a story however, there’s many more stories around this group I’d likely want to tell. But that is for another short story compilation.
