It’s not that I stop reading/watching right then and there. Rather, there’s something about knowing the ending—or at least, some future plot details—that injects more tension into the story for me. I know where the characters end up… Now, what events and decisions get them there?
As I read “Lifted,” I wondered how the story might be different if it opened with a later scene. To be precise, I’m thinking of Chapter 5, where we finally get a look at the building that the thieves are going to break into. What would the story feel like if that scene was used as a hook?
First, we learn that this building is understaffed and not designed for its present use—in fact, it’s downright vulnerable. By the time the walls begin to shake, we’re pretty sure this is not going to end well. Our suspicions are confirmed as the robbers break in, and we get those interesting clues about their process—for example, their ladder has been measured to fit the building. The opening scene could end with them preparing to overcome the vault.
We don’t know how much money they’re going to get away with—if any. We don’t know if the police are standing on the other side of the door. But we do know that they made it this far, and that they seem to have insider knowledge of the building, and that they are very, very well-prepared.
So, the big question becomes: How did they do it?
