The Dimension Kidnapper

Open at the Close

The red curtains draw and I collapse. The microphone attached to my clothing now turned off, I sigh in relief. The play is finally over. Jackson, a fellow actor, approaches me. His fire-red hair, no longer covered by a wig, is vibrant as ever.

Patting my shoulder, he sits next to me. "You were amazing out there." I go to tell him it was nothing but he continues talking. "You weren't kidding when you said you've been acting for all of your life, were you?"

"Well, there are certain rewards for acting. Even if everybody else calls it a useless career." He surely can't infer anything from that.

"Or a waste of time," Jackson adds. I can't help but burst into laughter when I see his goofy grin. His next, oddly serious-toned, sentence causes my shrieks of happiness to silence, "Do you want to, like, hang out sometime?"

I can see my reflection in his eyes. His eyes of emerald that seem to sparkle like wet grass. Shifting in my place, I remain silent. 

There's no way anybody would want that with me. He doesn't even know the real me. Then again, do I? I've acted for so long, spent so much time pushing others away that I never had time to focus on myself. Who am I? Do I want to know?

"Jackson," I start. I can already see the hope in his eyes being replaced by disappointment, "Jackson, listen." Do I want to do this?

He holds his neck. "No, I get it. It's cool."

Images of the past month we've spent together streek past my mind's eye. The times we messed up, the times we slacked off, the times we struck gold and later surprised the rest of the cast. My heart accelerates with every memory.

"No, you don't. Look, you have no idea who I am." My mind is set. "I have no idea who I am. But I want to. I want to discover myself so, I'm trying to say-" I take a deep breath-"yes. I would love to."

The dying light in his face resurfaced and he doesn't have time to react as I swing my arms around his neck. His hot skin soothes my heart and reminds me of chocolate, for reasons unbeknownst to me.

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I step out of the blue car and thank Jackson before giving him gas money. He tries to refuse but I don't back down and he gives in. I watch his car as it traverses the area and turns a corner, blocking it from my view. I sigh, as I realize I'll have to test my parkour skills once again and turn around to face my mother's house.

I scan for a window on the second floor and find it within seconds. The bedroom window that I left open when I left earlier today. I could use the leafless tree but who knows how much noise that would make? I instead slowly climb up a pipe and land on the garage roof. I'll have to jump to reach my window. Missing could mean immense injury and who knows what mother would say... or do.

Plucking my courage, I leap from the roof and reach for the window. The time I spend in the air makes me realize just how crazy this situation is but I don't have time to think about that right now. My fingers grip onto something and I celebrate mentally. Clambering through the window, I land in my room. Ass first, maybe, but I land.

The blank, half-finished paint job is hard to discern in the dark and I barely see the outline of my bed. Sleeping in my clothes may not be the most hygienic choice but my body is too heavy to move.

I thought I could see my room being filled with fog as my eyes closed but it was probably a trick of the moonlight.

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Hey, Author here. How'd you like this introduction? I know it was short and I too desire long parts (get your mind out of the gutter, sicko) but I hope the reference in the title makes up for it.