Phase 2 — The Disruption
The Disruption is where The Baseline breaks.
Up until now, the protagonist has been:
avoiding a truth
relying on flawed behavior
ignoring a whispered warning
This phase forces the issue.
The Disruption activates one or both strands of The Story Double Helix:
A-Story → External plot
B-Story → Internal journey
Most strong stories activate both.
The Disruption Uses the Core Story Engine
Inside Phase 2, we move through the familiar beats again—but now at full volume:
The Spark
Rising Pressure
The Commitment
The Dilemma
The Release
The Aftermath
This is the moment where the story can no longer pretend to be about nothing.