Unmasked (10 page)

The second and third rounds were far more extreme. Even though the sentences grew less and less imaginative for example “I eat cereal in the cafeteria” Collin, Cly, and the six others left the crowd stunned by doing impressions that several others doubted would be possible to replicate in any human’s vocal chords.

Much to the surprise of several in the stands, Collin eventually won the final round against a girl named Euri. The judges asked Collin whether he wanted to change his placement or genre, and not many found it shocking that he wanted to upgrade to a Main Character.

In fact, Lacey informed her that in the history of campus, only five competitors chose a different characterization than a Main: 3 Villains, and 2 Supporting Characters.

Personally, Noelle found it irrational to do Redemption in the first place, just to settle for anything less than the best.

“Collin chose a Main Character position just in time for the story,” Lacey muttered bitterly. “I heard that Miss Willow contacted him this morning, and now, they’re going to be one extra short.”

Noelle didn’t need to fill in the gaps for the rest of what Lacey was thinking. After Lacey said this, she began peering behind her back constantly waiting for Miss Willows come running up the field to assign her to the story that would begin the next day.

And it didn’t surprise Lacey much when Bri tapped her on the shoulder like a messenger bearing bad news.

“Miss Willows wants to see you and Noelle in her office.”

Lacey looked as if she had seen nothing but misery all of her life.

“How did your sister do?” Lacey asked, seemingly eager to postpone the meeting with Miss Willows.

“Really well,” Bri answered cheerfully. “But she lost to a girl named Cynthy who chose Villain for Adventure. Although, I’m pretty happy that Ellie didn’t win because that Villain group sort of scares me. They are an odd bunch that lot…”

Noelle had nearly jumped at Cynthy’s name. She didn’t even know that she was competing, but she didn’t find it shocking that Cynthy would want to join the Villains of her genre. She had pictured Blade and Cynthy in that characterization from the first day that she met them.

“All right,” Lacey moaned dejectedly as if about to endure a kick in the stomach. “Let’s just get this over with.”

They ventured slowly while Noelle decided to shatter the looming silence.

“Why does she need to talk to me?”

“I told her that if I would be leaving that I would put you in charge of Sage Peak. She’s going to give you all the information that you need as well as the master campus schedule. It’s just, I thought that I – so close – almost could have sworn that I…”

Noelle endured several other incoherent mutterings of regret and sorrow until they reached the entrance.

They turned down a few corridors before they reached the ominous looking office.

Lacey knocked softly while a cheerful voice beckoned them in.

“Good evening,” Miss Willows give a lipstick-stained smile when they entered, and Noelle automatically looked away to hide a shudder.

“As you know, ladies,” Miss Willows began rather abruptly before either of the girls could say anything. “The Romance story begins tomorrow, but I’ll bet that neither of you know that tomorrow starts the Fantasy story as well.  In campus history, we have never had two stories launch on the same day. You can guess that the administration has been working nonstop to make last-minute arrangements for each.”

Lacey let off a soft moan as she could clearly see where this was going.

“Just when I thought we had everything set – Collin…well…we are one character short in our Romance story and our Fantasy cabin just lost all of their counselors – you can guess that it’s a mess in here.”

She let out a hearty laugh, but Noelle stood frozen while Lacey desperately tried to hold back tears.

“So, we decided last minute, that you, Lacey…”

Lacey clenched her fists in and out trying her best to stand strong.

“You are going to be counselor of the Fantasy Extras cabin, or Pine Hollow,” Miss Willows finished while brandishing a new set of keys.

Lacey gaped at her not certain what to say.

“I suppose that you want to hand over Sage Peak’s key to Noelle now,” Lacey managed as she began digging in her pocket to find it.

“Not quite,” Miss Willows answered while pressing her bright purple lips together. “You see, because Collin just bumped up a character spot, we have had to make all sorts of changes to the story…”

Noelle cringed in horror wishing that she could just wake up, or that Miss Willow would just simply let Lacey hand her the keys and leave the office.

“Noelle,” said Miss Willows crisply. “We have assigned you to tomorrow’s Romance story.”

“Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Noelle didn’t watch the rest of Redemption. Instead she furiously stormed away to Sage Peak and began screaming out the Author’s name in fury.

He appeared instantly and it took her slightly by surprise, but she replaced this astonishment instantly with white hot rage.

“Why don’t you just kill me now?!” she screeched before he could say anything. “I thought that you said that you had a plan for my life! I thought that you had this
brilliant
wonderful plan for me! But no! You give Aleesha and Cynthy what they want! THEY don’t even believe in you! Yet, you still make me and Bri suffer, when we’re the ones who are telling others about you!”

Noelle finished shaking with irritation. She opened her arms.

“Just strike me down now.”

He didn’t move a muscle but simply answered calmly.

“Throughout your life, you will face trial and difficulty. This is a guarantee for every living creature.”

“Then why does it seem like I’m receiving all the difficulties full force while everyone else seems to get exactly what they want?”

He shook his head sadly,
“Child, you ask ‘Why?’ in the difficult times, but you never ask ‘Why?’ in the good.”

Noelle’s face paled as she began seething.

“What good times?! The minute I got here I got placed in the Unwanteds. I failed tryouts and am now being an Extra in my story. Tell me where the good is in that!”

“Now you can only see part of the picture, but I can see the whole plan. Trust in me, child, and do not lean on your own understanding.” 

The tears burned her cheeks as she turned away rolling and unrolling her fists into balls.

“I don’t want that plan anymore,” she said softly, avoiding his gaze. “I don’t need you to rule my life. Cynthy and Aleesha did just fine without it.”

She accidentally caught a glimpse of the Author’s face noting the expression of hurt, like a father rejected by his own daughter.

He let out a sigh as if he had experienced this time and time again.

“I have granted my creation with the gift of choice, and I will not withhold that gift from you, but remember that I don’t care how far you’ve fallen or what you’ve become, my love never ends. If you just turn around, you’ll see that I am right in front of you.” 

Noelle gave a dismissive wave, “Whatever.”

Without casting a glance back, she slammed the door of Sage Peak and collapsed onto her bed.

#

A soft grip wrenched into her shoulder the following morning to wake her up.

“Good morning,” Bri said cheerfully.

“What’s so good about it?” Noelle snapped as Bri gasped. “What?”

Bri pointed a shaking finger at Noelle’s chest, and Noelle peered down to see a black ink spot splattered on the middle.

“Where did that come from?”

“I’m not sure,” Bri agreed. “Although, I guess that we can just go to our closet and make a new shirt for you.”

She meandered over in that direction, and jerked at the doors.

She palmed her face, “That’s right; we need the key to unlock it…Aleesha?”

Aleesha let out a very irritated grunt.

“Sorry,” Bri added hastily, “but we really need the key for the closet.”

“I won the race yesterday, so I’m moving into the Main Character cabin this afternoon,” she mumbled. “So Miss Willows already had me turn in my key. Plus she says that only those who are planning to sleep here tonight can have access to the closet.”

Bri turned to Noelle apologetically and then gasped again.

“It’s spreading,” she said dramatically, “Like a drop of ink in water. I guess that you’re whole shirt will be black by the time we enter the story.”

Noelle gave the shirt a second glance and Bri’s word was confirmed. The ink had begun to expand from the center of her chest toward the sleeves and bottom.

Bri checked her watch and then let out a squeak.

“We’re late,” she said. “I guess that we need to get down to the fields near the obstacle course.”

She began half skipping at half speed while walking down the hallway with Noelle dragging behind. Noelle grew quite frustrated with her wondering how Bri could ever be so cheerful or eager to arrive at a story where they would mutter one or two lines in the background while some other brat got the spot light.

Noelle glanced down at her shirt again automatically, and the ink had completely spread to her entire shirt. She rolled up the sleeve, but noticed that the ink had not stained her skin whatsoever.

Oh well
she thought to herself,
I was growing sick of that white shirt anyway
…

When they arrived on the field, she spotted Blade and Collin instantaneously.

Blade did a once over with her as a cruel smile planted on his lips, “What happened to your shirt, Saint?”

“Don’t call me that!” she snapped, partially because she had hated that nickname to begin with but now she despised it ever so more because she could not think of the Author.

You need to make decisions for yourself
; Noelle forced herself to repeat over and over again in her mind. Why would she put her trust in an Author who always made her the butt of a joke? Or always put her in the group that no one wanted?

This was her life, and she would do with it what she pleased.

“Welcome everyone!” Miss Willow’s cheerful screeches pierced everyone’s ears as she began speaking in a megaphone.

“We can hear you just fine without it,” Noelle grumbled.

Miss Willows seemed to read her mind as she put it away.

“Now,” she said flashing more lip-stick stained teeth, “before we start on this exciting adventure, we need to go over a few rules and highlight a couple pointers for your story experience.”

A small group of main and Supporting Characters let out squeals of excitement while the numerous Extras and handful of Villains groaned.

“First the rules and I want the Villains to pay special attention to it…”

Once again the small handful of Villains let out furious noises, and Noelle had noticed that Bri’s observations were true. They seemed to be an odd bunch of people that she would never really quite want to hang out with. Miss Willows handed out a small flyer to each of them which made Noelle suspicious if the administration really ran low on paper or if they just were skimpy with the Extras.

1. No leaving your assigned rooms after curfew, same time as it is here at campus. (11:30)

2. No interrupting scenes of other characters (especially Extras and Villains). While everyone may not have a very long spotlight that does not mean that you interrupt the story time of others.

3. All campus rules apply here.

4. Remember that while the plot is likely to change, one has free will over their actions…our story board will direct where the plot goes, but each character will have control over most of their part of the story.

Noelle scanned the rules quickly and wondered why they didn’t go into detail whatsoever.

“We apologize for the vagueness of the rules,” Miss Willows spluttered. “But unfortunately due placement, our administration is low on –”

“Paper,” Noelle muttered finishing her sentence for her, but Miss Willows didn’t seem to hear.

“Now,” she said cheerfully, “I’m sure that you’re all curious about the whole story process. Well first, you ought to know the synopsis of the story. It takes place at Lakewood High School, and it’s no shocker that it’s a romance.

“Our female lead for this is Hera and male lead is Blade,” both stepped forward as Noelle gawked at them while the other character followed suit, but Noelle wasn’t focusing on their beauty like the others. She had always assumed that Blade would land himself into a Villain position. She still was working out how that scum bag landed in the romance genre in general.

“Now usually stories take place in the grown up world,” Miss Willows continued as if preaching to a Sunday school class. “Many of you know that a story experience can be best read by lectors as what happens when you leave college, or the “real world” they would call it.

“But your book is for young adult readers, which is why we collected a few novice characters because most of the elder campers are much too old for these roles.”

Suddenly everything seemed to fall into place as Miss Willows droned on about how grand the scenery would be.

Noelle realized why she got called to be in this story instead of Lacey. They simply needed younger characters. She felt her anger stir up in her once more, although the black stained shirt did a better job of hiding her harsh red cheeks instead of the white.

“Of course,” Miss Willows interrupted her thoughts, “we will explain more the minute that you get there, but we’ll let you take twenty minutes to say goodbye to whomever you want to, but I will be back after I send off the Fantasy characters into their story.”

Bri clasped Noelle’s hand as they made a mad dash toward Sage Peak as Noelle stumbled into Lacey’s room. Much to her surprise, she found the counselor wide awake sitting solemnly on her bedside with a packed suitcase.

Tears glistened on her eyes when she spotted Noelle and Bri.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “When you left yesterday, I tried to convince Miss Willows to have me swap spots with one of you, but she wouldn’t allow it.”

Normally Noelle would have swelled up with compassion, but she was so full of turmoil that she didn’t want to feel any sympathy for Lacey.

“It’s all right,” Bri said brightly. “I’m actually really excited. The Author is still going to be there in the story, and I can’t wait to tell everyone there about him.”

She glanced at Noelle expectantly for news as joyous as such, but Noelle didn’t reply.

“Great,” Lacey agreed enthusiastically, “And I’m going to train all winter for the spring Redemption. I promise that I’ll write. Usually the Scribes can pass on letters unless you’re thrown into a really dangerous situation, but it’s Romance, so you’re probably fine.”

Lacey then slid off her bed and groaned as she lifted a very heavy trunk.

“I hear the girls in Pine Hollow have a lot of imagination, so I made sure to pack some art supplies, but I think that I overdid it.”

Bri took another glance at her watch and nearly sprinted out the door.

“Need to see my sister,” she managed breathlessly before skip-sprinting down toward Ellie’s cabin on the other side of camp.

Lacey frowned at Noelle, her forehead creased with concern.

“What’s wrong?” she asked automatically.

“Nothing,” Noelle nearly snapped.

Lacey gasped as she grabbed a fistful of Noelle’s shirt.

“What happened to this?”

“I just woke up and it was there!”

Lacey paled and then motioned for Noelle to quietly come to her closet.

“How come you got to keep your key, but we didn’t?” Noelle demanded.

“Counselor’s privilege,” Lacey answered. “The only reason why Aleesha didn’t keep hers until the last minute is because the Main Character’s fabric is ten times better.”

She unlocked the door and held out a sheet of white cloth.

“T-shirt please,” Noelle said as if ordering at a fast food restaurant, but Lacey shot her a skeptical look. “What? Isn’t that why you’re letting me into your closet it to make a new shirt?”

Lacey did a half-nod.

“Well…yes, but I just need to see something first. Touch the fabric,” she commanded.

“What? Lacey, I don’t have much time, I need to leave in like five minutes.”

“I know,” she answered hastily, “but do this for me. Just touch it.”             

Noelle grasped a handful of the fabric, but instantly a dark spot where Noelle touched the fabric began to spread as the cloth progressively began to turn black.

“What’s going on?” Noelle demanded in awe and fear.

Lacey turned to her face white as a ghost, “What did you do, Noelle? Did something happen with the Author? You need to go talk to him immediately!”

Noelle rounded on her, “Lacey, there’s no way! I don’t want to hear what has to say. I’m leading my own life now, and I don’t need him.”

Lacey looked as if Noelle had just slapped her across the face.

“Noelle,” she said softly, “I thought so too once, but it’s different. He has a plan, and I know it’s difficult, but –”

“Be honest with yourself! His plan has bought you a little more time from being an Extra in a story. You will still probably be one in the next story, so what is the point with all this pointless hope when you’re going to be forgotten like me?”

“Has it ever occurred to you that fame isn’t everything?” Lacey cried exasperatingly. “I’m not going to stop you from making these choices. I can advise you against them, but it’s up to you to fix them.”

“Goodbye,” Noelle spat as she ran out of Sage Peak tears gushing down her cheeks.

She had lost everything. The Author, her best friend, her home at camp, and it was all the Author’s fault.