The Chronicles of Hither and Yon: The Quest for the Included Middle
Posted: November 9, 2024 Filed under: AI-Powered Essays | Tags: culture, philosophy, transformation Leave a commentFADE IN:
INT. VILLAGE OF HITHERION – TOWN SQUARE – DAY
Villagers bustle about in a neat, orderly square split right down the middle. On one side, EVERYTHING IS BRIGHT AND WHITE; on the other side, DARK AND SHADOWY.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Once upon a time, in the curious land of Hitherion, there was no such thing as “maybe.” You were either on one side or the other – Absolutely or Absolutely Not.
We see a young boy, EDMUND (late teens, awkward but curious), standing by the LINE that divides the town in two. He squints at the swirling mist that runs down the center of the square, a magical boundary called THE LINE.
VILLAGER #1
(pointing, muttering)
Look at Edmund the Middling, forever staring at that blasted Line.
VILLAGER #2
Poor lad, with too much nonsense in his head. Doesn’t know which side he’s on!
Edmund overhears and sighs, but he stays focused on the Line, fascinated.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE LINE – MOMENTS LATER
Edmund reaches out, hand hovering over the swirling mist. Suddenly, a strange CREATURE appears. It’s THE BOTH/AND, a magnificent blend of peacock and turtle, feathers glimmering, shell shimmering. It wobbles onto the Line, each step accompanied by a faint clink.
BOTH/AND
Well, well! Edmund the Middling, as I live and breathe!
EDMUND
(stammering)
Who… what… are you?
BOTH/AND
(grins)
I am the Both/And, Keeper of the Included Middle! And you, Edmund, are just the fellow we need to unite Hitherion!
EDMUND
(laughs nervously)
Me? I’m just… I don’t know… stuck in the middle.
BOTH/AND
(sternly)
Exactly! You’re neither here nor there, neither one nor the other. You’re both! Perfectly suited to step into the Line.
EDMUND
(confused, hesitant)
But… the Line’s dangerous! Everyone says it’ll drive you mad.
BOTH/AND
(grins)
Oh, it’s not madness, Edmund. It’s magic! Step into the Line, and you’ll discover wonders beyond your imagination!
Edmund hesitates, looking back at the villagers who watch him nervously. He takes a deep breath and steps forward.
WHOOSH!
CUT TO:
EXT. NO MAN’S LAND – THE LINE – MOMENTS LATER
Colors swirl around Edmund as he enters the mist. He’s surrounded by strange and beautiful creatures—DRAGON-BUTTERFLIES, shimmering like stars, and tiny BIRD-CATS with wings.
BOTH/AND
(laughs joyously)
Welcome to the Included Middle, Edmund! A place where you can be both and neither, here and there. This is Hither and Yon!
EDMUND
(awestruck)
It’s… it’s beautiful.
Suddenly, EDMUND is lifted off his feet, floating as colors and light swirl around him, binding him to the power of the Included Middle.
BOTH/AND
Now, Edmund, you have seen the power of both. You are the one who must take this balance back to Hitherion, to unite Absolutely and Absolutely Not.
EDMUND
But… how? They’ll never believe me!
BOTH/AND
They will if you lead with grace, Edmund. Show them what it is to live with harmony and contradiction.
CUT TO:
INT. VILLAGE OF HITHERION – TOWN SQUARE – DAY
Edmund steps back across the Line, his eyes glowing with newfound insight. He stands in the center of the square, villagers watching him in shock.
VILLAGER #1
What’s happened to him?
VILLAGER #2
He’s crossed the Line! He’s… different.
Edmund raises his hands, trying to calm the crowd.
EDMUND
Friends, listen! I’ve seen a place where we can be more than one thing. We don’t have to live on opposite sides. We can be united—in the Included Middle.
The crowd murmurs, skeptical. Just then, the BOTH/AND steps forward, peering curiously at the villagers. A tiny DRAGON-BUTTERFLY flutters nearby, drawing gasps.
BOTH/AND
(grins)
Good people of Hitherion! All it takes is a single step, a single brave moment, to discover something magical.
VILLAGER #3
(skeptical)
You mean… cross the Line?
BOTH/AND
Exactly! And find that Absolutely and Absolutely Not aren’t so different after all.
Edmund offers his hand to a young girl, LILY (10, wide-eyed), who steps hesitantly into the Line. She gasps as colors swirl around her, the magical creatures dancing nearby.
LILY
(giggling)
It’s… amazing!
Soon, one by one, other villagers step forward, each crossing the Line, merging together in a radiant center filled with color and light. Slowly, the strict borders of Absolutely and Absolutely Not begin to dissolve, as Hitherion fills with shades and colors never seen before.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
And so, the people of Hitherion learned to live not as Absolutes but as part of a greater whole—a place called Hither and Yon, where all were welcome, and where the power of grace united every difference.
As the sun sets, Edmund stands proudly with the Both/And beside him. They look out over the village, now glowing with the light of newfound harmony.
BOTH/AND
(grins at Edmund)
Congratulations, Edmund, Grand Keeper of the Included Middle.
EDMUND
(smiling)
Thank you. I think… I think we’re going to be okay.
Radical Centrism 