| Subject: CHapter 269 - Part 1 |
Author:
KatherineG.
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Date Posted: Monday, December 04, 07:32:22am
In reply to:
KatherineG.
's message, "Dreams in the Dark (258>?) continued" on Monday, October 23, 07:10:30am
Extra note: This part will be the last one for this year. I hope to be back sometime early-ish next year with more. :) Enjoy your holidays!
Dreams in the Dark (269/?)
by Katherine Gilbert
It had already been a tough day by the time Helmut led his friend into a screening room; Nikita only let out a sigh, allowing herself to be guided. He had, at least, promised her something good--some joy in her otherwise endangered life; she sat down, a large glass of water beside her, ready to see what this was--hoping it wasn't one of her own films. If she had to see some love scene--or, even worse, some parting or fight--between herself and her beloved, she might well fall apart, her focused determination hard fought; she looked up to the screen, as Helmut called to the projectionist, a few friends around them. But then she finally saw the one thing she wanted most of all.
The lights went down, the film starting--the music somehow both upbeat and self-important, letting her know from the very first second that this was a newsreel; her heart started beating much faster, as the announcer's voice came on. Oh, God, yes. She had been waiting for this. Now, she might finally be able to have some small glimpse of her beloved.
She had been guzzling down the water beside her, but now her attention was caught utterly on the screen--praying for even the briefest sight of her beloved. When the card for this particular news came up--announcing, "Hollywood Idol Thriving In War Fight"--she nearly wanted to scream like a 14-year-old watching her favorite star; she certainly felt like one, was blinking back tears of excitement. Oh, yes. This was exactly what she had needed, after her very brutal day.
She couldn't even think, as the report began--the images coming through to her something like this:
The voice on the screen was important and authoritative--as those of all newsreels were. It told the audience: "The announcement surprised everyone. The Great Samuelle--the man we first came to love in *Starlight Destiny*, the man women have adored and men admired for over 15 years--told the world that he would be joining the European war effort." There was some stock footage of Michael the star, either waving at cameras at premieres or looking quite serious--the last one taken as he had boarded the plane to head to his new work. "The actor, born in France, decided, despite his new wife and impending fatherhood, that he had to defend his home country. His wife, the former Kitty Ward, who took Hollywood by storm year before last, supported him, as he's also defending her native England."
Here, there was some footage of the couple together--posing and smiling for the cameras. Again, the final shot was of their last goodbye at the airport--Nikita trying very hard not to cry and not managing it entirely; to her dismay, she realized that her sadness played very well on film. Perhaps she had become yet another part of this town.
The announcer soon went on, as did the images, breaking her from her thoughts: "This patriotic couple, true Americans in every other sense, have given themselves over to the war effort in every way. Mrs. Samuelle's intention to go to England to encourage the country's young recruits was only overruled by her husband, due to her delicate condition." There were scenes of her waving him goodbye--not even the slightest hint of their child visible. She supposed, however, that audiences were supposed to fill in the rest for themselves. It wasn't like the studio encouraged publicity footage of pregnant actresses. But this probably had a lot to do with the fact that not much of anyone else wanted to see the evidence, before the baby was born.
The scene switched quickly, then, moving onto the heart of the news. Over images of a generic-looking military base, the announcer intoned, "Samuelle, as always, kept to his word. When we found him at his new work, he was his usual, upbeat self." There were a variety of photos of him at various duties--somehow managing to appear self-possessed and star-like even when standing at attention. That most of the images were probably staged did nothing to damage their attraction--or her nearly weepy gratitude for finally being able to see him again.
Nikita *was* crying now, watching the scenes in awe--the announcer beginning once more. There was some footage of the man together with his fellow recruits, all of them appearing chummy and accepting. "Even at play with his buddies, he looks every bit the star and the soldier, doesn't he, ladies?" Her husband smiled at the camera, and Nikita felt her heart melting like any other feminine fan's. "Oops, sorry, fella." One of his comrades had pointed at an insignia on his shoulder. "I mean airman."
The images were quickly switching to one of the men who had just been near the actor standing in front of a building; there was snow nearby, but it somehow only looked like a movie set. The announcer went on: "And what do his buddies think about serving with a great star like Samuelle?"
The first one looked out at the camera; while physically attractive, his eyes were quite rude--although Nikita doubted that most of the women who would see this would notice. "It's been great getting to meet him. He's a wonderful guy!" The teeth he flashed were nearly blinding--but Michael's wife still didn't like him at all.
There had been something quite insincere about the first one's pronouncement, but the newsreel did its best not to point this fact out. The announcer went on with the questions: "That's just the rank-and-file. How about his trainer?"
A pleasant, distinguished man smiled at the audience: "He's just what you would expect--intelligent, quick-witted, gets along well with everybody. He's pretty much the perfect recruit."
All of this was definitely helping her husband, encouraged Nikita a bit--despite her fears about the first man. Still, the announcer went on: "Well, that seems pretty unanimous. How about you, buddy? Can we get a dissenting opinion?"
The same guy who had pointed to an air force insignia earlier was now grinning at the camera, his tone entirely affable. "If I were married to Kitty Ward, I don't think any amount of patriotism could get me to leave her." There was a shrug. "But he's still a great guy."
The support was encouraging to Nikita--even if there were something about this third man she didn't like, either. While she suspected that he was the one her husband had been talking about when he said she had fans, she hoped never to meet him. There was just some sort of light in his eyes which unsettled her. It made her remember too clearly what "fan" was short for.
The announcer went on, more scenes of her husband filling the screen. "So much for that expose', then." The images went on--snow showing in most of them, even if none of them showed very much of the surroundings. "We'd like to tell you more about his day-to-day life, but you know the military." The announcer's tone practically suggested that there should be a slide whistle accompanying his words. "They're always pretty hush-hush."
It was, so far, generally what Nikita had been expecting, the newsreel somehow managing to balance the suggestion that anyone fighting this war just yet was clearly a little wacky with an absolute respect for Michael for being in it. It didn't make much sense, but that was to be expected. Even news was Hollywood too.
The next image took away her thoughts, however--and her breath--her husband in his uniform, smiling gently at the screen, as the announcer returned. "There is one thing we can tell you, though. It was Valentine's Day, when Samuelle and his unit took some time out to talk to us--and, as you might expect, there was a message from Mr. Samuelle for his Mrs."
Her husband was smiling at the camera--smiling for her, she knew; the look had very little to do with his usual public image. His eyes held a message far deeper than his words--or his use of her screen name. "I love you, Kitty. Look after yourself and our child." The adoring look deepened. "I'll be home from defending you soon."
Despite the tenderness of his look, the newsreader's voice was slightly comic again. "Aww--two kids in love." One of Michael's comrades put his arm around his neck a second later, drawing him away. "Guess they'll just have to wait." Over a scene of all the unit together, it continued. "Hope the war ends for you soon!"
It was a second later that the lights came back on, the newsreel ending abruptly, rather than continuing on to other news; Nikita came back to herself with a start, blinking at her surroundings. Still, she wasn't fast enough to hide the tears--utterly overcome by the opportunity to see him again, her heart thumping. God, he was just so beautiful; her knuckle wiped away a tear. If only he were still with her . . .
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