Three men were running from mistakes they made in the past. Then, one day they appear in a strange new town. There is a young boy with red hair named Jack. Jack’s mistake was that he hurt other boys, so he could have power. There is an old man named Oedipus. He was running away from his fate of hurting his parents. There is a man named Montag and he was running from his fear of not being in control.

Although they are in a new town, the three of them feel relieved and safe. As the weeks pass, they get used to their new life and live without worrying about their past.

1. Exposition

Before they found themselves in the strange new town, each of them had done something in the past they wished they hadn’t.

Montag was a firefighter in a world where everything was perfect. He burned books so no one could learn new things.

Jack was stuck on an island with other boys. He was a bully so he could stay in charge.

Oedipus was a king, but he ran away from his kingdom, Thebes, to escape his fate. This made Thebes break down.

1. Exposition

One day, they hear people talking about a magical Temple that can rewrite the past. The three men wanted to find out if this was true, so they went on a journey to find the Temple of Truths.

They walk toward the Temple of Truths, but as they got closer, old memories came rushing back.

2. Conflict Introduced

Inside the big temple, the three men meet in a hallway. Confused at first, they realize that they are all here to try to fix something.

Suddenly, they hear a voice. Then, a light bulb with no light appears above their heads. An owl flies down and says, “I will help guide you. When your light bulb turns on, that means you are ready to fix your past.” 

Then, the owl opens a portal and says, “Montag, it’s your turn first.”

2. Conflict Introduced

Buddhism

Montag enters the portal with Buddhism written on it. There are many books. The owl asks him, “Why did you burn books, Montag?” I burned them because I was scared. I wanted to be in control of what people thought, Montag said to himself. 

Montag slowly picks up a book. Inside it says, “Wanting things too much can bring pain” (Jillian_Johnson). Then, he opens another book. It says, “Letting go doesn’t mean losing. It means understanding and accepting” (“LETTING GO”). Montag takes a deep breath. Now, he understands, burning books was an escape.

3. Rising Action

Montag walks out of the door with a big smile. He feels like a new person and his light bulb above his head starts to glow.

Seeing the light bulb, Jack is excited. “Now it’s my turn,” Jack says.

The owl nods at Jack and changes the portal.

3. Rising Action

Christianity

Jack steps into the portal. This portal has the word Christianity written on it. Jack is in a dark forest with shadows moving around him. They look like the people and animals he has hurt. He remembered the way Simon, the boy he hurt most, looked at him before he struck him down. He thinks to himself, how could I have done that?

The owl flies down to Jack. “Your past doesn’t define you. Forgiveness is not about erasing the past, it is a step toward redemption by learning from your mistakes and owning up to it” (“Forgiveness”). Jack looks down, quietly saying to himself, “I forgive myself. I want to do better.”

4. Rising Action

Jack walks out of the portal. His light bulb lights up just like Montag’s. Montag gives Jack a high five. “You did it!” Montag says with a big smile.

Unlike Jack, Oedipus is nervous to go into the portal. The owl says, “Your turn, Oedipus.”

4. Rising Action

Oedipus slowly enters the portal. Confucianism is written on his portal. He looks around and doesn’t know where he is. "This is the City of Thebes," the owl says, "but in the future." 

Oedipus looks around again and sees broken buildings. There are ghosts floating around. "Those ghosts were the citizens of Thebes. The City of Thebes slowly started to fall apart after you left. No one was brave enough to take charge. No one wanted to fill the role of being the king." The realization hits—Thebes is in ruin because I didn't fulfill my role and my duty to its citizens, Oedipus thought ("Introduction").

5. Rising Action

Confucianism

Oedipus steps out of the portal. His light bulb is lit too. They all cheer. “We should all share something we learned with each other,” Montag suggests. Jack and Oedipus agree.

Montag starts off by saying, "Buddhism taught me that the less you hold on to something, the less you will get hurt by it" (Jillian_Johnson).

Next, Jack says, "Christianity taught me that forgiveness can lead to a path of redemption" ("Forgiveness").

Lastly, Oedipus says, "Confucianism taught me that everyone has a duty to fulfill in a society" (Jacksonville).

5. Rising Action

Just then, the ground begins to shake. Pieces of the Temple start to fall down! The Temple of Truths is collapsing.

The Owl appears and says, "Each of you has a choice, enter the last portal for your final test or stay in the collapsing Temple." 

6. Climax

"I choose to enter the portal!" the three of them say at the same time.

The Owl opens a new portal and the three of them jump in.

6. Climax