Fright For The Part

His Hand Hovered Nervously Above the blood red phone in the Los Angeles hotel. The year 1950, waiting for it to ring, when suddenly it did, quickly he picked it up.

“Hello Neil Fenton, Actor.”

“Neil. It’s David Haversham the producer, There’s an audition for a man to star alongside Lucy Wellings in her new film! I’ve suggested you try out for the role. Now we all know how difficult she is to work with and she doesn’t suffer fools, I mean she got the last leading man fired from the set, so I’m hoping you don’t mess up! You understand? This could be your chance to break into the big time!”

“Don’t worry Mr. Haversham, He replied nervously, I won’t let you down!”

“Alright you to go there right away, you know the address!”

“Yes Sir.”

“Good. Then you’d best not be late, you know how impatient she is;

“Yes Sir.”

The phone clicked out of existence. Quickly he replaced the receiver and put on his coat lying on the bed. Struggling to get his arm in correctly as he did so, all the time thinking this was his big chance.

“Oh please God, don’t let me be late, you don’t know what she’s like.”

His coat now on he ran out forgetting to close the door behind him, and almost tripping over the stair carpet and breaking his neck. Finally outside he fumbled for his keys. He found and entered just as dark blue clouds began to form above the sky indicating rain, he inserted the ignition key and turned it, nothing.

“Oh God, please.”

He tried it again, same.

“Please.” He cried his voice now frantic in desperation. On the third attempt it started.

Quickly he began to drive. The journey soon changed from a busy Los Angeles Road to empty countryside type road with trees and muddy grass on either side, the only sound being that of the rain pounding heavier against the roof of his car and distorting the vision of the windscreen as the wipers worked automatically.

“Oh Please God, don’t let me be late, I need this role!”

His mind on other things he was unaware of the truck driver with his wife next to him coming in the opposite direction, both of them tired having celebrated round their son’s house with his wife their first year of marriage. Each person occupied with their own thoughts they only became aware when the truck struck Neil’s car at an angle, causing it to swerve off the road downwards alongside a muddy slope. Being Los Angeles the truck driver and his wife did not want to get involved and so refused to stop. Suddenly the car smashed into a tree and being the type not to wear a seat-belt, Neil Fenton went halfway through the windscreen, a piece of glass embedded within the left side of his face.

“Help me, please.”

Nervously realsiing this was his only chance he began to pull free. The trapped flesh peeling off as he did so to reveal blood soaked enamel bone. And now almost free he noticed a piece of glass had become embedded within his left eye, the other end still attached to the car. The pain indescribable he somehow managed to pull himself free, his left eye falling out of its socket and sliding down his leg and landing with a squelch like a snowball in a bloody avalanche; Even more concerned now about being late for the audition he got out the car. The Moon shining on the enamel side of his face to reveal what he had become. He gritted his blood soaked teeth in determination and began to make his way, stumbling across the rain swept muddy grass until he was yet again on open, “if not” dry road. He walked across until he came to a huge iron gate, the sign on the placard read:

CEMETARY

He tried the gate, it creaked open, he glanced around, the whole place deserted except for the freshly dug stench coming from the five open graves. He closed the gate and began to walk towards an old wooden door in the distance that was situated as entrance to the crypt. He tried the handle, it turned and the door opened. Nervously he stepped in. The only light coming from a candelabra on an old table, a Victorian mirror hung above the wall. T The door slammed shut and he turned to see five men in rotted clothes with skeleton faces, then he turned away in terror catching sight of himself in the Victorian mirror. He screamed. Then the light clicked on and Lucy Wellings said:

“Oh he’s perfect for our horror movie.”

THE END