Today I am sharing a story I created from a prompt set at our writer’s circle. We had to use a sentence at the beginning and end of a story but the meaning had to change. I hope you like it.

Curtain Reveal

“I’ll be watching you.”

I smile at my boyfriend as he turns to walk toward the auditorium and leave me backstage. I gather myself and try to calm my nerves on, this, our opening night. The months of preparation and learning lines culminates tonight and for the next seven evenings. Without Danny’s patience letting me recite the dialogue endlessly night after night, I don’t think I would have made it here. He ensured me that not going out with my friends was just temporary and they would understand. After all this was my first leading role and I should be perfect.

Night after night, Danny prepared our meals while I obsessed over the script, finding nuances of my character, experimenting with mannerisms and never missing rehearsals as he always drove me back and forth without complaint. He’d sit watching me and smiling with encouragement. Whenever I began to doubt my ability he was the ultimate cheerleader. He bolstered me up when I needed it, but also took extra care to make sure I also relaxed and got enough sleep. Running bubble baths, massaging my neck and feet when he saw my anxiety rising. Danny is perfect.

I turn as my name is called. The theatre director calls the whole cast together for a last minute pep talk then motions to me and Anton, my co-star.

“I want a slight change in the last act, last line.”

My stomach lurches.

“You want to change it now, when we’ve rehearsed for months?”

He smiles and pats my shoulder. “It’s one line, one action, Stephanie, you can do it.”

Anton’s frown is as deep as my apprehension, but I take a deep breath.

“Okay, what do you have in mind?”

Our director, my theatre mentor nods and then explains the change. It’s not as bad as I was expecting and Anton’s sigh of relief matches mine.

The next few moments are a rush of getting into place and waiting for the curtains to rise. I walk onto the stage, feel rather than see the audience and try not to let their presence distract me. Knowing Danny is there calms me as I say my first few lines, then I’m in my element secure in my knowledge of the lines, and my positions upon the stage throughout the play. Our last scene approaches and Anton gives me a wink as we come together to kiss and embrace.

The applause shatters the stillness of the last moment and I feel the vocal roar of congratulations. We bow and let the curtain drop. There is excitement and hugs among the actors as we make our way to the dressing rooms. The first night is spectacular, more than I could ever have imagined and I look forward to doing it again the next night and the next.

I glance around looking for Danny, but cannot see him among the throng of actors, backstage staff and excited relatives. One by one my contemporaries depart and still no sign of Danny. Where could he be? He is my cheerleader, the one person I want to share my triumph with. I wait alone in the dressing room, an unease settling in the pit of my stomach. I need to leave as the theatre stage staff close down the theatre, the lights and sound system are turned off. It gives the building an eerie hollow feeling I’ve not experienced before.

Standing up I grab my coat and scarf and walk to the rear stage door, creating excuses for Danny not rushing to congratulate me. I check my cell, no messages. Had he been called away for a family emergency, did he receive a notification his car alarm went off, or was he suddenly taken ill? Why didn’t he text me if something was wrong?

The evening air rushes into the corridor as I open the door making me shiver. My breath clouds in the stillness. I turn left then right. There he is leaning against the brick wall, arms folded, and his head down.

“Oh, there you are I was worried when you didn’t come back stage. Is everything alright?”

He lifts his head and turns toward me, there is a glint of something in his eyes I’ve not seen before. He does not smile.

“Ready to go, Stephanie?”

Puzzled at his attitude I nod and walk to him. He takes my arm and pulls me tightly to his side.

Bubbling with the excitement of it all I chat as we walk toward to his parked sports car.

“Did you enjoy the show? Once I was on stage all that practice just clicked in. Thank you for all your help, it really made the difference.”

He does not respond, just aims the key fob at the car and opens the passenger door for me. I smile, he is always such a gentlemen.

Danny gets in and turns the key so the engine roars into life. He swings the vehicle into the street and accelerates hard pushing me back into the seat. Unease creeps into my body. Is he mad? What have I done?

He’s still not said anything about the play and I can see his jaw muscles clenching and unclenching. I try to engage him in conversation as he steers the car along the city streets, weaving through traffic at speed. By the time we arrive at his apartment my earlier enthusiasm has disappeared.

I don’t wait for him to open my door, as is his usual custom, but get out and stand on the pavement ready to confront him and his obvious mood.

“What’s going on with you, Danny?”

“Get inside; I’m not discussing it in public.”

We ride the elevator to the seventh floor and walk to the apartment door in silence. He unlocks and opens the door, standing to one side to let me enter, then locks it behind me.

I shrug off my coat and scarf place them on the coat hook and enter the open plan living space. The city lies before me through the floor to ceiling windows, thousands of lights twinkling in competition to the night sky and its stars. This is not the triumphant evening I’d envisaged. As I turn to face Danny, I see that glint in his eyes again.

“Sit, Stephanie.”

It is a command not a request. What is this, who is this man? So different to the Danny I’d come to know over the past six months.

I sit on the cream leather sofa facing the panoramic view, my nerves on edge.

“When were you going to tell me you kissed that fucker in the play?”

The venom in his voice makes me cringe as my eyes open in shock. I stutter.

“James Thompson, the theatre director announced the change literally moments before we were going on stage. Danny it’s pretend, not real.”

“You will not do that again. You will stick to the original script.”

“Oh come on, Danny…” He is beside me in one quick movement, his grip on my hands painful.

 “No, you come on, if I find out you are lying there will be consequences. You will not deviate from the script you practiced. Understand? No one else touches you.”

I can’t get my breath; fear is filling my body, my heart thudding in my chest.

“I can’t do that.”

“Yes, you can, Stephanie you will do as I say. If this Thompson won’t accept you keeping to the original script you will leave the show.”

Now, I’m angry and pull away from him, standing up and stepping toward the windows. “Absolutely, not this is my shot. I will be a professional and follow my director’s instructions.”

“You will do as I say, or you will never leave.”

The threat in his voice is all too real. Now my fear is at extreme levels as I understand he means every word. Was I so blind I didn’t see the red flags? He’d distanced me from my friends, kept me here and always accompanied me wherever and whenever we left the building. I need to keep my cool and just agree with him, but it needs to be convincing. The moment I’m out of here I’ll never return.

“You’re right, Danny, it was unprofessional of Thompson to expect us to change the script at the last minute. I’ll tell him it’s the original or nothing tomorrow night.”

His eyes bore into mine. With extreme effort I relax my shoulders and give him a smile. Internally, I’m screaming. I want out of here now, but have no excuse to leave and am sure he will not allow it or will go with me.

He sits back on the sofa and pats the cushion beside him.

“I’ll be watching you.”

Let me know what you think about this story and its twist.