Embedded Files
An electronic beat blasts out from the tape machine in the dance rehearsal room. An angry Dusty Tyler moves around the room and glares at her reflection in the huge mirror, that runs along one side of the room. She launches into a song about betrayal:
“I thought I had The Only Key,
I Thought You Only Opened Up To Me,
What Happened?
Don’t Know How You Could Call It Love.
I Thought I was The Brightest Light,
But Someone Else Was Lighting Up Your Life,
What Happened?
Don’t Know How You Could Call It Love.
I’m Not Suspicious, No Not Me,
But I’m Not Blind and I’d Have To Be Not To See.
You’re Getting Away With Murder,
You Can’t Love a Girl Then Hurt Her.
It’s Getting Away With Murder.
You Can’t Tell A Girl You Love Her,
While You’re Working On Another,
That’s Getting Away With Murder, (Murder).
You Weren’t Happy Loving One.
Two In The Hand Has Left You Holding None,
It Happens,
Don’t Know How You could Call It Love.
You’re Not Demanding, No Not You.
You’re Understanding, Cause You Do What You Want To Do.
Getting Away With Murder,
You Can’t Love a Girl Then Hurt Her.
It’s Getting Away With Murder.
You Can’t Tell A Girl You Love Her,
While You’re Working On Another,
That’s Getting Away With Murder, (Murder).
Said I Was The Only One,
But You were Cheating All Along.
It Ought To Be A Law,
Where You Were Wrong.
Well, Well, Well.
I’ve Gotta Save You,
From Yourself.
I Gotta Stop you,
From Hurting Someone Else.
You’ve Been Getting Away With Murder,
You Can’t Love a Girl Then Hurt Her.
It’s Getting Away With Murder.
You Can’t Tell A Girl You Love Her,
While You’re Working On Another,
That’s Getting Away With Murder, (Murder).
You’ve Been Getting Away,
With Murder!
You’ve Been Getting Away,
With Murder!
You Can’t Tell A Girl You Love Her,
While You’re Working On Another.
You’ve Been Getting Away,
Getting Away.
You’ve Been Getting Away,
Getting Away.
Getting Away,
With Murder, (Murder).
You Can’t Tell A Girl You Love Her,
While You’re Working On Another.”
As the song comes to an end Dusty collapses into a heap in the middle of the floor and beings to sob.
In the make-up room Jesse and Doris stand looking at each other in silence both trying to take in what had happened. Eventually Jesse breaks the silence.
Jesse: “Wow! That was pretty intense!”
Doris nods: “Yes, it was. Are you okay?”
Jesse: “I think so. When you said you had a message from Nicole I have to admit I was sceptical but after that....”
His voice trails off as he can’t find the words to express what he’s feeling.
Doris catches sight of herself in the mirror and laughs. She pulls a screen, she’d seen at the side of the room, around her and changes back into her normal clothes.
A million questions race through Jesse’s head: “Doris can I ask you something?”
He hears a muffled "yes" from behind the screen as Doris pulls her top over her head.
Jesse: “Why are you so much older than you should be? What are you really doing here? How did you conjure up Nicole like that? “What the hell is going on?”
Doris sighs: “Jesse that’s more than one question which one do you want me to answer first?”
Jesse pauses for a moment as he chooses: “Okay, let’s start with what the hell is going on?”
For a long time there is silence from behind the screen as Jesse waits patiently for the answer to his question.
Jesse eventually asks: “Doris? Are you okay?”
Lydia, Leroy, Danny, Reggie and a group of dancers enter the dance rehearsal room and notice dusty sitting on the floor crying.
Lydia is concerned: “Dusty? Honey? What’s the matter? Have you fallen and hurt yourself?
Dusty sobs: “No, I'm okay?”
Lydia: “Honey if you’re okay why are you crying?”
Dusty blows her nose into a tissue: “It’s Jesse!”
Lydia is concerned: “Has something happened to Jesse?”
Dusty looks up at the sea of faces around her and hesitates, not sure what she should say. However the anger inside of her begins to swell up.
Dusty angrily: “He’s okay, he’s more than okay. He’s the one going around hurting people that’s all!”
Lydia bends down next to Dusty: “Okay, calm down and tell me clearly what you are talking about!”
Dusty takes a deep breath: “Jesse’s cheating on me. I saw him Miss Grant, I saw him.”
Lydia sighs: “Are you sure? You know our minds can sometimes play tricks on us...”
Dusty angrily interrupts: “I saw HIM! It wasn't just anybody either. Jesse is having an affair with a teacher!”
Lydia is shocked, Danny and Leroy exchanged puzzled glances and murmurs spread throughout the crowd of onlookers.
Lydia: “Dusty that is a very serious accusation, are you sure about this?”
Dusty: “Yes Miss Grant, I'm sure. I saw them making out in the make-up room. It’s disgusting! How could Jesse do that to me?”
Dusty begins to cry again and Lydia puts her arm around her to try and comfort the distressed teenager.
Lydia: “Reggie, why don’t you go down the hall and bring Mr Dyrenforth here. I think he needs to handle this.”
Reggie rushes out of the room and down the corridor towards the office.
Doris pulls her top over her head into place and straightens her hair. As she looks around she notices that she’s not in the make-up room any more. Instead she is sat next to Lydia and Sherwood in a packed auditorium. She looks at them and they smile back at her. She notices they are both older than she’d seen them before. Then a thought strikes her. She had seen them look like this before. Doris’ body goes cold as she remembers when each of her friends disappeared from the hospital corridor and she found herself outside the School where Lydia was upset because Leroy had died both Sherwood and Lydia are wearing the same clothes and look the same as they did then.
Suddenly the lights dim and music blasts around the room. Doris sees a group of male dancers leap onto the stage dressed in black hooded capes that monks might wear. As the dancers stop for a second and look menacingly into the audience, Doris can clearly see the lead dancer is Leroy.
A feeling of dread engulfs Doris and she closes her eyes.
The music stops and Doris cautiously opens her eyes again and lets out a scream as another face is standing right in front of hers. The other person lets out a startled noise too and they move back behind a screen.
Doris realises who it is and calms down: “Jesse what are you doing?”
Jesse is apologetic: “ I'm sorry, I didn't know what was happening. One minute you were talking and the next there was silence. I called out to you but there was no reply, so I was just checking you were okay. Can you tell me what’s happening?”
Doris steps from behind the screen: “I wish I could. It’s all very confusing for me too. One minute I'm in one place and the next I'm somewhere else with different people. It’s been happening for awhile now and I don’t know why. Something must have happened to me and somehow I found myself in the past. For me it’s really 2010!”
Jesse is shocked: “What 2010? No wonder you look older but I don’t understand how that’s possible?”
Doris continues: “Neither do I and I wish I could give you better answers.”
Doris hears a collective: “SSSHHH!”
She looks around and sees a number of people in the auditorium glaring at her, including Sherwood and Lydia. Doris quietly sits back in her chair as Leroy’s dance performance continues on the stage.
In the dance rehearsal room Mr Dyrenforth has arrived: “Miss Tyler, are you sure you saw Mr Velasquez kissing a teacher?”
Dusty: “Yes Mr Dyrenforth, I swear it’s true.”
Dyrenforth snaps angrily: “Which teacher? What’s their name?”
Dusty hesitates: “Well, I'm not really sure of her name. She was one of the substitutes covering Mr Shorofsky’s class. I’ve seen her at the school a number of times but I don’t know what she’s called.”
Dyrenforth and Lydia exchange sceptical glances.
Jesse finds himself alone in the make-up room as Doris had suddenly disappeared. He waits awhile for her to return but she doesn’t. Eventually he gives up and leaves the room. As the door closes behind him he is again startled as Doris appears next to him.
Jesse: “What the hell! I really wish you’d stop doing that.”
Doris: “So do I Jesse, So Do I. I know something bad is about to happen and I’d rather not be there to see it but I have no control over what is happening.”
Jesse ponders for a moment then asks: “How did you get Nicole to appear like that?”
Doris: “Well, since I was a teenager I've believed that I'm a spirit centre. I had a strange experience at the school once and I saw, for want of a better word a ghost. Lisa, was a troubled spirit who hadn't been able to pass on and needed my help. The same happened with Nicole; she hadn't been able to pass on either and asked me to help her give a message to you. I thought I just had to give you the message. I hadn't realised she would actually be able to appear to you and talk to you directly like that. I guess it made things easier for you to believe though but I realise if you’re not used to that kind of thing it can be very confusing.”
Jesse nods as they wander to the auditorium towards the doors.
Jesse: “It was a very special moment and I want to thank you for helping. Without you I’d never know how Nicole had really felt and I wouldn't have been able to tell her how I feel. Thank you.”
Doris turns and smiles but sees a puzzled Sherwood looking back at her. Doris realises she is back at Leroy’s performance which is still taking place on the stage. The performance is energetic and the dancers leap around the stage. Doris sits watching feeling more and more apprehensive for what she thinks is about to happen.
As the music comes to an end the dancers join hands and take their bows. The audience rises to their feet and applauds. Leroy is in the centre and smiles at the audience. Suddenly he spots Doris in the crowd and his smile starts to fade. Suddenly, He feels a strange sensation in his head. He closes his eyes and rubs his head. Losing his balance he falls to the floor. A gasp of shock emits from both the other dancers and the audience. Lydia is first to react.
Lydia: “Quickly someone call 911!”
Sherwood takes out her cell phone and starts to dial. Doris can only stand still and watch, knowing that there is nothing anyone can do as Leroy has died. Suddenly she finds herself back with Jesse in the lobby of the school walking down the corridor. The shift in time makes Doris lose her balance and reacting quickly Jesse catches her.
In the dance rehearsal room Dusty stares at the sea of faces around her.
Dusty: “It’s true Mr Dyrenforth, why don’t you believe me?”
Dyrenforth sighs: “Well Miss Tyler, it’s very difficult to believe you when there is no actual suspect. Has anyone else seen this substitute teacher?”
Everyone shakes their head “No!”
Dusty looks at Leroy: “Mr Johnson you saw her the other week when we were backstage in the auditorium talking about Jesse. Do you remember?”
All eyes turn to Leroy: “Erm, well, yeah, I saw someone but...”
Dusty excitedly interrupts him: “Miss Grant, Mr Dyrenforth there she is.. and she’s with Jesse. I told you.”
Everyone turns and looks towards the door to which Dusty is pointing. Through the glass Jesse and Doris can be seen walking arm in arm up the corridor. The group assembled in the dance room quickly make their way out into the corridor.
Dyrenforth yells: “Mr Velasquez what on earth are you doing?”
Jesse and Doris are shocked by the sudden outburst.
Jesse: “What do you mean, what am I doing?”
Dyrenforth: “Did you or did you not kiss this woman?”
Jesse looks at Doris and then at the faces of the group of people surrounding him.
Jesse hesitates: “Well...yes... I guess technically I did.”
The group gasps in surprise and Leroy and Doris exchange glances.
Jesse continues: “But it wasn't her I was kissing, it was Nicole!”
The chattering from the surprised group of people gets louder.
Lydia: “Jesse child, what are you talking about?”
Dyrenforth interrupts before Jesse can answer: “I think it is this woman that should be doing the explaining.”
All eyes turn to look at Doris and a smile crosses Leroy’s face.
Dyrenforth continues: “I think you’d better come to my office. Miss Grant, Mr Velasquez you come too.”
As all four head down the corridor towards the principal’s office, Danny turns to Leroy.
Danny: “What the heck was that all about?”
Leroy watches the group go: “How should I know?”
Lydia, Jesse and Dyrenforth walk into the office. Doris stands in the doorway and hesitantly takes a step forward.
The light changes and Doris finds herself coming down the steps on to a busy street outside the School. It’s night time and it takes a moment or two for Doris’ to adjust to where she is. People are moving frantically around her and a flashing light from an ambulance is bathing the whole area in red light.
She sees another Doris Schwartz sitting on the bench outside the school looking pale and worried. Then another Doris, looking slightly older, standing next to Sherwood and Lydia. Both the Doris on the bench and the Doris on the steps watch for a moment.
Lydia is crying and the others are trying to comfort her.
Sherwood: “Doris help me get Lydia inside, she could do with some kind of drink.”
The older Doris takes Lydia’s arm while Sherwood takes her other arm.
Sherwood: “Come on let’s get you somewhere more comfortable.”
Lydia looks up and sees the school in front of her and starts to shake her head.
Lydia: “No, No I don’t want to go in there. I can’t stand to be in the place where Leroy died.”
Sherwood: “Lydia we need to get you into the warm besides you’re the Principal, you’ve have to go back in there.”
Lydia continues to shake her head: “No Elizabeth, I can’t work there now, not after what has happened. It could never be the same again. I quit!”
Sherwood: “Lydia it’s just the shock talking. You’ll feel differently in time.”
Lydia sobs: “No I won’t. Leroy was like my son and he died on my stage. I never want to go into that place again.”
At that moment Doris on the steps rushes off down the street turning back she sees a beam of light surround the Doris on the bench and then disappear.
Doris keeps walking up the street thinking that maybe she can finally escape this nightmare. However she notices the scenery start to change and her heart starts to sink, knowing that it isn't about to end just yet.
Doris finds herself back in the hospital corridor. Ahead of her she can see another version of herself and Mrs Berg standing outside room 421.
Mrs Berg speaks: “It’s time to discover what happened to you dear."
Doris hears her other self say: "To Me?"
But she releases that Mrs Berg isn't talking to her other self she is looking directly at her.
At that moment the door to room 421 opens slightly. The other Doris looks at the open door and then back to Mrs Berg who nods her head encouraging her to enter.
Doris watches as her other self swallows hard and reaches out her hand. She avoids the handle and carefully pushes the door open wider. The other Doris then disappears. The Doris left in the hospital hallway looks at the old woman.
Mrs Berg: “This door is for you dear!”
Doris takes a deep breath and walks slowly to the room. She looks back for Mrs Berg who has now disappeared.
Doris finds herself in the hospital room. She is shocked as she remembers the events she is now seeing. A strange hooded figure is trying to smoother another Doris lying on the bed, with a pillow.
Mrs Berg is now in the room and whispers: “You certainly took your time getting here; we've been waiting for you!”
Doris looks around the hospital room unable to move.
To be continued.....
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