A Shot in the Shadows

The Lights Go Down

"You look lovely."

Hayley looks up from her book, smiling at Annie. "Thanks," she says. "So do you."

Annie grins back, hurridly sliding off the table as the person doing Hayley's hair turns around and shoots her a look.

"I'll see you onstage," Annie says. "Break a leg."

"You too."

Hayley watches Annie leave, and then reaches us to touch the messy bun resting on the top of her head. "This doesn't feel secure," she says, prodding it gently.

The woman slaps her hand away. "It's not supposed to be," she says. "Anyway, its only got to stay for about five minutes. Then Lara will help you put it in a braid in the wings. Just don't touch it."

"Okay," Hayley says, getting out of her chair. "I won't touch it, I promise. Thanks."

"Break a leg!"

Hayley makes her way out into the hallway, smilling at Leah and Claire as she passes them.

"Your parents are down by the costumes," Leah says.

"Hurry up and talk to them, they need to get into the audience and you need to be in the wings in a few minutes or Mr. Harding's gonna burst a blood vessel," Claire adds.

Hayley promises them that she'll be quick, and, holding her mic pack in place, she jogs down the hall until she runs into her parents.

"Hayley!" Mrs. West goes, engulfing her daughter in a hug. She peers down at her. "Is your mic on?"

"Nope," Hayley says. "We have a few minutes."

"Good," Mrs. West says. "Good luck out there tonight."

"Your mother and I are very proud of you," Mr. West adds, reaching out to ruffle Hayley's hair.

"Dad, no!" Hayley squeals, ducking out of the way.

"Okay, I've got it!" he replies, throwing his hands up.

Hayley's mom checks her watch. "We should get going," she says, kissing Hayley's forehead.

"Okay, mom," Hayley says.

"We love you," her dad adds. "We're all going to be out in the audience cheering for you. Your mom and I, your cousins, grandma. We'll be there."

Hayley grins at them, unable to think of anything she could say to show how grateful she is for their support. The problem is solved for her when Christopher runs by, grabbing her hand as he goes.

"Come on, Hayley, we're going to be late," he says, dragging her with him as Hayley's free hand flies up to her bun. "Hi, Hayley's parents! We'll see you after the show!"

"Bye, kids!" Hayley's dad calls.

After tugging at Christopher's arm he lets go of her, and they rush backstage, where Mr. Harding and the rest of the cast are already standing in a loose circle.

Mr. Harding checks his watch. "Right on time," he says. "Okay. Do you guys hear the audience out there?"

The cast falls silent, listening to the rustle of people moving into their seats and opening their programs. Everyone out there sounds excited.

"That's our first audience out there," Mr. Harding says. He looks around the circle and starts beaming at his cast. "I'm not one for making speeches, yet I have to go out and give one to the audience out there. But I do have one thing to say: I'm immensely proud of every single one of you. You've all worked so hard to help us put this show together. You kids have all had to juggle school, and the adults have had to quit their jobs to be in this show. Yet you've all persevered. I know we've been on a very tight schedule, and I know we've had you managing things you wouldn't have had to deal with if we were in a really professional show. We've had a very chaotic environment the past six or seven weeks here, but you've all coped and that makes me so unbelieveably happy. I don't think I could have asked for a better cast. Thank you... for everything."

Everyone is silent for a moment, then a loud sniffle comes from Hayley's right and everyone bursts into quiet giggles.

"Sawyer!" Lara whispers, dropping to her knees next to the boy and wiping his eyes.

Mr. Harding smiles at that. "All right, you have a show to do and I have a speech to make," he says. "The writers are all in the front row and they'd like me to tell you that they're so proud that you're the ones bringing their show to life."

Sawyer starts sniffling again, and Mr. Harding sighs as he picks him up. "Alright, Sawyer, you're so overcome with happiness that I'm taking you out there with me," he says. "Places, everyone. As soon as I start my speech they'll turn your mics on, so no more talking. Hayley, I want you at center stage the second I finish talking. Remember, don't look up until the spotlight turns all the way on. And remember that the bench isn't rolling out until your third line. And remember that we cut your opening line and you're starting immediately with the song, and-"

"Shawn, Hayley knows what she's doing," Claire says.

Hayley shoots Claire a grateful look and watches as Mr. Harding, carrying Sawyer, makes his way out to the little area of the stage in front of the curtain, where they disappear from Hayley's field of vision.

"Good evening, everyone," Mr. Harding says. "I'm Mr. Harding, the director of Shadows. This is Sawyer Donovan, the understudy for the role of Alex. We'd like to thank you all for coming, and that we're all so happy to see you here tonight. Before we get started, I'd like everyone to take a moment to acknowledge the people who brought this show to us: Adam Holland, Steven Walker and Kerry Gates!"

There's a smattering of applause, and Hayley finds herself being silently directed to stage right by Leah, who holds her there in place.

Hayley doesn't hear the rest of Mr. Harding's speech: she's to busy looking across the stage at her cast mates. Riley and Annie are at the underside of the stage with Lara, their arms linked together as the gaze at Mr. Harding's silhouette against the curtain. Annie notices Hayley and shoots her two thumbs up. Christopher's standing by them, one arm wrapped around Aaron. They both grin at her. Then there's Julia and Luis Ward, looking at all of them with the gaze of proud parents.

Hayley's hand finds Leah's, and the young woman gives her a hug.

"You'll do good out there," Hayley hears, and she turns to see Addie, who isn't going on and doesn't have a mic. Addie takes her hand and squeezes it gently, then gives Hayley a gentle nudge onto the stage.

Hayley silently makes her way to the center, positioning herself to look directly out where the audience is, behind the curtain. She glances to her right, at Leah and Addie and Morgan, who whispers "Good luck!" to her, and Alice and all her castmates.

Hayley hears a louder round of applause and watches Mr. Harding and Sawyer's shadow move off the front of the stage. The few lights shining down on her behind the curtain go out. Hayley is still, listening to the silent sounds of the fidgeting audience that she can just make out over the sounds of the old curtains whooshing to either sides of the stage.

Hayley quickly looks down at her shoes: she sees a dim circle of light glowing brighter around her feet, sees the darkness of the house out of the corner of her eye. She hears a low note come from the orchestra. She remembers the original opening sequence, with her few lines of dialogue. It had seemed more joyful back then, before it had been cut in favor of a quiet, darker melody.

Hayley looks up, feeling the eyes of everyone backstage and before the stage on her.

She hears a cue.

Hayley opens her mouth, and she sings.

I have a call for help.

I'm trying to think of a nice opening line for the show. And I have some, it's just they're not fantastic and I hate all of them. If you can't remember the gist of the show, you can go over to read the summary of Shadows. You don't actually have to read it (please don't, there's really nothing in that story yet) but the summary for that is in essence the summary of the musical in this story.

Thanks for the reads and votes guys!