Starbird

Chapter 30

We eventually reached a wide open space with paintings that took up the length of the walls and benches in the middle so people could enjoy them, however I could see the tracks for the cameras and the lights were still being set up. The actors dispersed into their corners to put on their costumes and get their hair and makeup done and I looked at Finch expectantly. She sighed and laughed before walking towards an arched walkway. Acting like a lost puppy, I followed her to where I found a table full of coffee, tea, and snacks and I smiled thankfully. 

“Camille,” I turned to Finch as she started walking away, “I’ll see if I can get you someone to take you around the museum. But not now. Can you promise me you’ll wait here?”

“Here here or general vicinity here?”

“General vicinity. I’m sure they have a spot out there for you to wait. Now, I have to go find our curator,” Finch mumbled to herself as she walked off down a dimly lit hallway. I fixed up my coffee and grabbed a croissant before walking back into the open area. The crew was moving about, shuffling things to and fro to get perfect lighting as Bonnie spotted me and pointed to a place nearby the director’s chair. I smiled at her gratefully before taking my spot and  nibbling on the end of my croissant. Good Lord, that was delicious. No chocolate or butter necessary for this piece of God-given goodness. 

I sat there for probably an hour, but I didn’t mind. Over these past few months, I’ve learned to enjoy sitting and watching it. Everyone was in their costumes and they were still getting lighting a bit situated, although I didn’t understand the problem. The Louvre was very well lit and the sunlight was pouring in beautifully. Whatever. I’m sure there was a science to it that I wasn’t going to try to understand. 

Eventually an elderly man in a blazer and slacks came up to me and told me that his name was Hervé and he would be showing me around the museum. I jumped up eagerly with my Monster in hand and followed him out of the room we were currently in and back into the wide hallways. My eyes scanned each picture and I was sure to stop Hervé to ask him questions about pieces as I pleased which he was perfectly okay with.

“And this piece is The Coronation of Napoleon, when –”

“I actually know this! I studied it in my history class!” I said excitedly and Hervé raised a white-haired eyebrow at me, his wrinkles deepening as he looked at me, quite confused.

“So you don’t need me to explain it?”

“Well, you can. I’m sure there’s a lot more to the history than what I studied.” He obliged and continued on with facts of the time it was painted, the artist, and the difficulty of dimensions captured. I sighed in awe every time I looked at a different painting, my heart wanting nothing more than to reach that level of perfection. This entire museum held everything I desired in life. Beauty and pain all expressed with oils on canvas. Nothing could match the perfection this museum beheld. 

Eventually we reached the most crowded part of the museum – The Mona Lisa. I managed to squeeze myself to the front, Hervé trailing along so he could give me some history on the piece. When I reached the front, I felt like the air was knocked out of me. There it was. Behind bullet proof glass, a wooden barrier, and a rope barrier – not to mention guards standing at their post along the sides with security cameras surrounding it. That painting wasn’t going anywhere. But that didn’t matter. It was a tiny painting, especially from this far away, but it was incredible to see. That was the actual painting. Right there in front of me. I could have cried, I was so excited.

“Mademoiselle Camille,” Hervé said, pronouncing my name the French way which I liked, “Shall we move on?” I didn’t want to move, but I could feel anxious tourists pushing me aside. I held my Monster up to my eye and snapped a few photos.