Ghost Bird

17: Pilot

I spend most of Sunday morning puttering around my apartment and cleaning things that aren't dirty. My stomach twists into knots thinking about my lunch date with Silas, and I just need to keep my hands busy. After dusting the same knick-knack three different times, I have to accept that the apartment is as clean as it's going to get.

My laptop sits on the dining table, drawing my attention with the promise of the internet. That's a good way to kill time. I power up the old brute and make some coffee while I'm waiting for it to load.

My thoughts wander. What type of place will Silas take me to? Will people take our picture? Should I dress up? Silas is pretty casual, so a skirt and blouse should work. I have a navy and white top that he'll like. But wait, what if he doesn't like blue? Crap! This is confusing.

I finally get a browser window open. Feeling just a bit stalkerish, I type Silas's name into the search bar, and the GBFCI website confirms that blue is in fact is favorite color. It also mentions he's from Greece, so his accent must be authentic. He also likes pugs, tacos (really?), and warm summer evenings.

There's a link to an interview he did before the pilot premier. I click on it, and a separate YouTube video pops up.

Silas is seated with an interviewer in front of a black backdrop. He's wearing a navy blue suit with a crisp white shirt and a light blue tie. It's the most formal I've ever seen him. He looks surprisingly good.

The interviewer introduces himself and Silas before starting. "What was the most challenging part about filming Ghost Bird?" he asks.

Silas tilts his head to the side, thinking. The camera switches angles so it's zoomed in on his face. "It took a while getting used to working with this many people. In the past, I've played more solo roles, so it was definitely a shock coming into this type of environment. I've developed really great friendships with the guys, though. I love working with them."

"What do you think people will like the best about Ghost Bird?"

"Well, I don't want to give anything away, but there's a lot of action." He smiles at the camera, and it's so adorable that I have to contain an aww. "Lots of suspense, and the formation of lifelong bonds. The characters definitely have some troubled pasts, but they overcome them with the help of their friends. For me, it's a refreshing change from the mindless violence overtaking TV and movies recently."

The interviewer glances down at his phone. "I'm afraid there's only time for one more question," he says. "This one was submitted by an audience member. What is one thing you want the fans to know about you after watching Ghost Bird?"

Silas's eyes widen slightly. He clearly wasn't expecting this question. I would be thrown if someone asked me that, too. "I'm more than my jokes," he says finally. "Yes, I'm good at lightening the mood, but that doesn't mean I don't have serious moments, too. I don't want people to only remember me for my cheesy jokes."

The interviewer coughs uncomfortably. "Well, that changes my closing line. Silas Korba, everyone!"

I close the video when the clapping starts. Silas sure has changed a lot in the past two years. He looks older, of course, but he also seems more confident and comfortable with his words. Was he still in high school when he began filming Ghost Bird? He's twenty now, so he could have been.

When I click back to the GBFCI homepage, an ad catches my attention. "Watch the first episode of the critically-acclaimed Ghost Bird series for FREE at www.WionNetwork.com!" Kota's handsome face stares right at me, daring me to ignore the ad.

I mean, I probably should watch the series at some point, and Silas isn't supposed to come for another hour... I click the link.

~Ghost Bird Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot~