Chapter 12: And scene!

Emma and I were back for the summer a while after we steered clear from home, I was not expecting the old face at my door, it was Zeke and he was gripping a script like it was a lifeguard and stepped in.

"Stupid tactics," He said kicking a pencil, I caught it, I hadn't seen him on edge before and he was paling AND I hadn't seen him all summer.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Everything! My mom made me go to acting school and now, I'm auditioning for a part as a victim for a stupid play about..."

Emma was already laughing with tears running down her cheeks, she wiped her face "Sorry"

"About what?"

He shuddered and dropped the script turning away, my eyes skimmed the gory font and the one who wrote it.

"The tale of the Blood Moon, it doesn't sound so bad"

I flipped through and Zeke growled when Emma dropped from my swing to join me skimming the lines and acting scenes.

"This is an insult, I'm a science guy but my mom thinks it's best if I got over my fear of public speaking."

He drew down his eyelids revealing the flesh under his eyes and sat back, he frowned at Frieda reading a book about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"Why aren't you laughing?"

She shrugged, engrossed in following the plot, she looked like a caterpillar in the sleeping bag I lent her.

He went back to sulking

"How long is this play going to take?" Darcy asked intrigued by the introduction and flipped through.

"I dunno, forty minutes. I'm so mad, she asked the director if I could be in it and she said, let's hope he has talent and it's on schedule. I have only three days to make it count"

"It's a Japanese tale but they're going to adapt this to English"

"I'm toast"

"This should be good" Frieda muttered to herself with the book plastered to her face.

***

She exhaled and took her script walking to the platform, the boards thumped as she entered and faced the director and the judges with their pens and clipboards ready to write down anything.

"What is your name?" Danny Takimoto asked in proper English and smiled.

"Stacy Tremblay, sir"

"You have only five minutes," He said with a manner of urgency and she dropped the script on the floor and he raised a finger

"Don't you need that in case you forget?"

"It's a distraction, I'm prepared" She nodded and wiped her sweaty hands, and straightened her hair.

'But Vendetta, you are too weak, the Blood Moon's rising, you'll crave blood more than you ever have before and you know what that means especially for you'

'I won't lose control, I'm stronger than you think'

'Strong maybe but you can't lose what you don't even have

Her eyes turned rubicund from the drops she used and she looked up at him with narrow eyes as if she was ready to take the chance.

'You don't know what you're dealing with'

'I'm going after Robin before the Count gets to him first'

Danny lowered the script, Stacy's hand quivered when he asked her to try again, he sighed and waved his hand cutting her short.

"Okay, that's was good but not exceptional, I need you to sell it, not just read the lines"

"I tried my best Mister Takimoto..." Stacy's eyes trembled at his critique.

"You may leave, next, please. I said next!"

Danny looked up impatiently and softened at the boy struggling with someone before she finally pushed him out, he froze at the three of them watching from the dark seats and the stage light on him.

"Let's get on with it, your name and what role would you be playing?"

"Zeke Jennings and I'm victim number 2"

It hurt him just to say that while the other judges snickered, it was like his mom was trying to mess with him or something.

"I'm parched and it's very hot, don't let the daylight in, close the windows...I said close it!"

The judge's delivery was so convincing that Zeke flinched and the script plopped on the floor.

"It's m_mid September, how can it b_be?... Sorry about that, c_can we try this again?"

Danny frowned at said something to the judge "That'll be all for now"

"But I haven't even tried yet"

"Next please"

Zeke was still throbbing with anxiety, anxiety turned to thrill, this might have to be the luckiest day of his life, he didn't even have to try too hard. The one time his mom makes him come to the auditorium and she doesn't even show up.

"Better luck next time," Darcy said and he dropped the script on her hands.

"Bummer, I say we drop this joint and get sundae for my broken heart" He grinned and Frieda pulled him back still into her atlas for a novel. He growled and straightened his shirt.

"You have to wait for feedback" She murmured and he grinned.

"The results are in and we've decided, Laura will play the leading female character and Stacy Tremblay will be the underdog"

Laura cheered and Stacy growled leaving the stage before she even got the chance to know the other characters. Danny watched her leave and shook his head looking at his paper.

"Victim number 2 is Boomer"

Zeke smiled to himself, happy with the judge's decision.

"Number 1 is Evan Macguire, Count_ Farley, James_Tony, Luna_Miley, Star_Brooke...and the male lead character goes to Meek? Who's Meek_ oh, Zeke Jennings"

"What!!?"

The others turned to him as surprised as he was and he hopped down the stage to meet Danny as he gathered the papers leaving the seats.

"Mister Takimoto...I can't take the part, you've seen me act or not_"

"Zeke, I'm a perfectionist and you've not only managed to exceed my expectations but you blew me away. Robin is a fearful character and you pulled it off...it was almost as if you were really scared." He shook his head in wonder then touched Zeke's shoulder.

"I need you for the part, see you on Tuesdays and Saturdays, whatever works for all you...Sara, get their school calendars and set up convenient dates"

"Right away sir"

"Oh and Zeke? Lose the skullcap for a while would you?"