'Eleven' by Jax Purchase, for the 26 Orphans Exhibition

26 Orphans is a collaboration of 26 writers from the organisation 26. The exhibition is for Bloomsbury Festival London at The Foundling Museum, inspired by the poet Lemn Sissay’s installation - Superman was a Foundling. Each of us were able to choose one of our favourite fictional characters who lost their natural parents in childhood.

I chose Eleven from Stranger Things, she has such a unique story and I find her character fascinating. The brief was to write an introduction to the piece of 26 words and for each writer to create a sestude (exactly 62 words). It also had to incorporate ‘breathe’ which is the theme for this year’s Bloomsbury Festival. Each sestude was then recorded - I also added some 80’s synth music to mine. The recording along with an image representing the piece is being displayed with the others at The Foundling Museum between 14th - 23rd October 2022: https://bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/events/26-orphans/

The piece in written form: https://bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/26-orphans-eleven/

View the Digital Exhibition and listen to the recorded piece: https://smartify.org/tours/26-orphans

Eleven

Character: Eleven (011)

TV series: Stranger Things

Writers: the Duffer Brothers

26 writer: Jax P

(Intro)

Removed at birth for scientific experimentation, Eleven reflects on the strength and support of friends, the challenges she’s overcome, the optimism and understanding she now embraces.

(Sestude)

If I told you my original name was not a number – would you still call me El?

My friends – they rescued me from the rainbow room. The door, it was closed.

We are The Upside Down – breathing, we keep breathing, keep running up that hill.

Do you see me now? My emotions are my power – I keep my door open three inches.