# Outline

## High-level structure

A five-scene short story following a single emotional arc: from isolation through disruption to fragile connection. Each scene is set in a distinct location that mirrors the protagonist's internal state. The story spans one week in a coastal town.

## Act/part breakdown

**Act 1 -- Disruption (Scenes 1--2)**
Elias's quiet routine is shattered by a letter. He retreats to the only place that makes sense -- his workshop -- and sits with the weight of what the letter means.

**Act 2 -- Decision (Scene 3)**
Elias walks through town to the pier. Watching the tide, he decides to write back. The midpoint turn.

**Act 3 -- Action and Resolution (Scenes 4--5)**
Elias reopens his workshop and repairs a clock as a gift. Petra arrives. Two strangers meet for the first time, connected by blood and a ticking clock.

## Scene list

| Scene | Title | Location | ~Words | Arc position | Status |
|-------|-------|----------|--------|--------------|--------|
| 1 | The Letter | Kitchen above the shop | 1,000 | Opening / Inciting incident | Drafted |
| 2 | The Workshop | Shuttered workshop | 1,000 | Rising action | Drafted |
| 3 | The Pier | Town streets / pier | 900 | Midpoint / Turning point | Drafted |
| 4 | The Clock | Workshop (reopened) | 1,000 | Rising action / Pre-climax | Drafted |
| 5 | The Reunion | Apartment above the shop | 1,100 | Climax / Resolution | Planned |

## Arc positions

**Opening:** Scene 1 -- Elias at his kitchen table, morning routine. Establishes solitude, setting, character.
**Inciting incident:** Scene 1 -- The letter arrives. Elias learns he has a daughter.
**First turning point:** Scene 2 -- Elias descends to the workshop and sits with the letter among stopped clocks. He cannot ignore it.
**Midpoint:** Scene 3 -- At the pier, Elias decides to write back. The tide turns (literally and figuratively).
**Second turning point:** Scene 4 -- Elias reopens the workshop and begins repairing the carriage clock. He is building toward something.
**Climax:** Scene 5 -- Petra arrives. First meeting. The clock is given.
**Resolution:** Scene 5 -- Two strangers sit together. The clock ticks. Nothing is resolved, but something has begun.

## Notes

- Scenes 1--3 are mostly interior/solo. Dialogue is minimal until scene 5.
- The workshop appears in scenes 2 and 4 but is transformed between appearances (shuttered vs. alive).
- Each scene contains at least one clock or time-related image.
- The carriage clock introduced in scene 2 becomes central in scene 4 and is the gift in scene 5.

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*Update this file as the structure evolves. It's the bridge between WORK.md (high concept) and individual unit planning.*