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Date Posted: 14:39:51 11/11/07 Sun
Author: Mary
Author Host/IP: cpe-72-224-139-236.maine.res.rr.com / 72.224.139.236
Subject: Characters & Shadows - Chapter 7.
In reply to: Mary 's message, "Characters & Shadows - Cont." on 14:30:27 11/11/07 Sun

Chapter 7

“Madeline, Paul , this is Nikita.”

“Well you are every bit as beautiful as Michael and Madeline said you were.” Paul said. She was almost immediately chilled by the man in front of her Although his words were complimentary she cringed at the way his ice blue eyes seemed to be assessing her from head to toe, searching and finding all her faults that she tried so hard to hide.

She had to hold down a moment of panic as she blushed and managed to murmur a quiet, “Thank you.”

Michael didn’t seem to notice her discomfort at all, “It took me a little while, but I did finally convince her to come here with me.”

“It must feel good to be back in the theater again Ms. Wirth. It’s been a long time for you.”

Michael did not miss Madeline’s use of Nikita’s formal name. He wondered what was up with Madeline tonight, if there was another problem he was unaware of with the production. She seemed distant and stiff tonight.

Nikita didn’t miss the look in Madeline’s eyes. The older woman did not want her here at all. Recognizing old feelings of shame Nikita told herself that this would be over quickly and then she could go back home and heal her wounds. For now she would not embarrass Michael. “It has been a long time.”

“So let’s get started,” Madeline was a business as she headed brusquely toward the stage. “We’ll do the first act, scene seventeen. Nikita, I take it that Michael has already explained the basics of the play and the character.”

“Very little actually. I only know about…”

“You’ll be fine I’m sure. In this scene you start out very angry at Michael and the Section. They have put you into a scenario that resulted in hurting a little girl and they tried to kill the man you were having an affair with. This scene takes place in Phillip’s office and you have a gun in your hand as you enter. Take a few moments to look over the scene.”

Madeline handed Nikita a script and then turned to Michael, “Oh and Michael, no helping her. Just like any other audition.”

Nikita stood up on the stage with the script in hand and wondered why the hell she was doing this? Madeline was a cold woman, she could feel it. Her smiles were nothing more than a façade to carefully hide the simmering anger under the surface. She didn’t want Nikita there, neither one of them did. She had the urge to run, she didn’t need this intrusion in her life. She normally would have never tolerated it.

But there something in Michael’s eyes that made her remain where she was on that stage. For some reason they had been brought together and Nikita had learned that trying to control fate, instead of flowing with it, was a very painful thing to do. No, they had been brought together for a reason, and Nikita was on this stage for a reason. I frightened her to think that it might just be that she needed this. It frightened her deeper to admit that Michael might be able to see that need.

Michael watched as Paul and Madeline whispered to each other. He wondered if something was wrong tonight. Both of them seemed to be acting strange especially toward Nikita. He wouldn’t go so far as to say that they were ever warm and welcoming to new actresses, but usually at least Madeline would try to put them more at ease and further explain the part. But tonight that was not that case.

He wondered if was just over analyzing the situation based on his growing fondness of the beautiful blond. He wanted, and they all needed, a very successful run of Section One. He knew that Katernya was the key to that success.

He took a deep breath and watched as Nikita scanned the scene quickly, picked up the prop gun and declared that she was in fact ready.

Michael moved into place and Nikita took her spot. He watched as she took a deep breath and he noticed her hands were shaking as she held the script tightly. He wanted to reassure her but couldn’t at the moment.

As Michael and Nikita became Phillip and Katernya, the scene began:

<i>Nikita (K) stormed into Michael’s (P) office, she took the gun she held and slammed it on his desk in front of him.

NIKITA (K)(very angry, almost uncontrolled): I don’t want it anymore. I can’t live like this. I’m done.
She turns to leave his office.

MICHAEL(P)(calmly): Katernya.

He stands, and she turns back to vent, while he moves to quickly close the door to his office. Nikita begins yelling.

NIKITA (K): This place, the Section – is full of lies! They talk about all the innocent people they save, well, what about the innocent people we hurt! Like the four year-old girls just wondering why they’ve been abandoned?

Michael (P) moves closer to her, reproaching his pupil and reminding her of what she had known all along and refused to accept. She had to accept it if she wanted to survive.

MICHAEL (P): You were warned. You should have never gotten involved. You still believe in free will. In here, there’s no such thing.

NIKITA (K)(still seething): You keep telling me that, Phillip, but I don’t believe you anymore. You couldn’t handle it, could you?

Michael steps away from her, but Nikita follows, talking to his back.

NIKITA (K): You’re jealous of Gray, because I love him and
not you.

Michael now turns to face her.
MICHAEL (P) (quietly we can barely hear it): You don’t love me?

Ignoring him, she continues with her tirade.

NIKITA (K): Oh, you came up with a brilliant idea – almost kill Gray. Come on, Phillip, at least have the decency to admit it!

MICHAEL (P): Yes, it was my idea.

NIKITA (K)(disgusted): You’re sick.

She moves quickly to the door not wanting to be near him anymore.

MICHAEL (P): I only proposed it after I heard want they planned to do.

Nikita stops, turns back, waits for him to continue.

MICHAEL (P): They wanted to kill him.

Nikita looks to him in shock. Michael takes her gun from his desk and holds it out for her to take as he speaks.

MICHAEL (P): Gray will heal, his daughter will grow up, and they’ll have the life they deserve.

Nikita (K) snatches the gun out of his hand and stares at him angrily her disgust openly displayed. Then she abruptly turns and leaves, while Michael (P) watches her leave. He then closes the door, hesitates a moment and then goes back to his work. </i>

The theater was silent as the couple that had everyone’s attention completed the scene and then turned to look at one another.

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