Borderlines

Everyday life brings new challenges, new wins, new losses, new highs, and new lows. Everyday we are faced with choices, will we be productive, will we say yes or no, will be be our best or our worst. In the midst of these choices, we stand on the tightrope between them, the bordering lines of the do or don’ts; inevitably waiting to fall on either side. On a particularly burdensome day, Kiana is not exempt from these choices.

On the one year anniversary of her younger sister’s untimely death, Kiana - a struggling writer, is plagued with the ghost of her sister’s memory and the addictions she acquired in the aftermath. We follow, for twelve hours the choices Kiana makes. Her tightrope lies between life or death, sobriety or substance, love or war. From the moment she opens her eyes, she grapples with maintaining her sobriety and self preservation and giving in to her vices and self destruction. Isolated from the world, the time moves slowly as she tries to occupy her mind and her body from the pain that takes over. The only person she’s been able to maintain much of a relationship with is her knight in shining armor Dame, who’s to no avail in her most time of need. She cracks.

After to succumbing to her afflictions she opens the capsule which has been a menacing adversary; only to realize she somehow miscounted her emergency pills. Leaving her empty. In desperation she calls Lo, her best friend from childhood who’s sure to be a good time and a reliable source of anything Kiana needs, including drugs. A perfection distraction. Lo, being a painful reminder of Kayla makes interacting with her difficult, despite their bond. After sharing some laughs and putting on a brave face for her friend, Kiana knows she has to return to solitude. One more minute with her friend and the mask she wears will melt away leaving her exposed.

Sedation. After hours of fighting it off, Kiana surrenders to one side of the line, making a choice. Choosing substance over sobriety. Hours fade away with the sun. The alcohol and pills bring Kiana closer to calamity and further from the memory of Kayla. Survival. Dame appears, finally. His untimely presences eradicating any calm and into a spiral of erratic emotions. Dame, all too familiar with Kiana and her episodes is weary upon arrival. Being the light in her darkness he tries to uplift her mood, but isn’t strong enough to withstand the blows. Caught off guard and ill prepared for this particular day, he defenseless. Kiana implodes. Kiana berates him; his armor worn down from a year of attacks can’t withstand the blows. He retreats. Kiana falls again on either side of the line, choosing war.

Alone and hysterical. With the light gone, there is nothing but darkness surrounding Kiana now. Guilt, hopelessness, and agony torment her mind. Drowned in the overwhelming inconsolable truth of this day; Kiana makes her final choice. On the tightrope between life and death. To continue to fight or lose a never ending battle. On the final borderline, with seemingly nothing to live for, she surrenders. Death over life. Dame returns just minutes later, regretful. He finds Kiana in the bathtub… but is he too late?