Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Life Long dreams

Friday Fiction

This Week’s Theme:What is your character's lifelong dream? Why didn't she persue it?


Tara watched Heidi with more than a twinge of jealousy. Her glossy, golden hair rippled in the sunshine. A swarm of make up artists and people from the costume department were fussing over last min changes. Heidi graciously allowed them to pedantically arrange each hair in its preordained spot, knowing that this was the price of stardom. Tara shifted her gaze to beyond the set where another starlett, Pricilla , resplendent in glittering jewels and little else; her tight ringlets bouncing and jiggling seductively as she practiced her walk.

“Sigh” – this may have been wistful and glamorous from anyonelse, but escaping from Taras mouth was a disharmonious whine. She quickly looked round to see if anyone had noticed and to her dismay, several of the camera crew were looking at her with alarm. Tara sniffed, pretending not to notice their stares. She had heard Heidi had just released her own get fit DVD.

“Huh! Who’d want to watch her for a 30 min work out? If I did a DVD, it would exciting, adventurous and show other gals just like me that they don’t need to look like Heidi or Pricilla to be fabulous.” Taras thoughts swept her way from the bustle of the film crew, the shouting of the director and the incessant whining of some of the ‘talent’.

“Peeeeep” a languid whistle forced her consciousness back to reality. What was it with Harrison? Why did he whistle at her for her attention when a simple mention of her name might suffice? She found it so demeaning; especially in public. “Come on you silly bitch, lets get going. You’ re on soon.” She too, had an appointment with the make up department, but was forced to line up with the growing throng of extras, animal handlers and their charges; great and small. No one - on - one fussing for her!

Tara let out a small ‘pfff’ of annoyance as they wandered towards the makeup department. Harrison had been good to her, acting as her manager, confident, teacher and friend. She knew that anything further relationship wise was impossible; but it didn’t stop her loving him with all her heart. Besides, that sort of relationship could get a bit weird and almost certainly will end in the wrong sort of publicity. She just wished that the types of roles she longed for; the ones that Priscilla, Heidi seemed always get – were the ones that she could have crack at. Instead, she, Tara, was cast; as always, as the sensible one, the dowdy but smart one, the comic relief or worst still the one she was doing today, the ‘before shot’. How she longed to be cast in one of the more serious, substantial roles. Tara shook her head. She knew you needed to have ‘a look’ that she just couldn’t attain.

The commercial being shot today focused on a new haircare range – apparently with near magical properties. Taras role saw her walking down the street looking very scruffy. The next shot zooms onto the bottle of whatever it was called - being sprayed into Taras hair and then somehow she is transformed and the shot pans out onto Heidis hair - who is being fussed over by a laughing muscle bound man. It then sees them bounding through the park, being joined by other beautiful hair.

The crew had just completed erecting the wind and leaf machine in preparation to blow her already untidy hair into a state of complete disarray in the first shot. As she strolled past a ‘practice’ gust of it caught her unawares and she yelped with surprise. Harrison, by her side stroked her head and calmed her down, smiling; directed her to where the make up department had set up.

Tara settled down in front of the make up artist; ignoring all around her as she started to get into her ‘zone’. Tara felt strongly that acting was a serious business and she needed to be on top of her game in all situations. Hot breath prickled her neck and she moved in time to avoid a wet tongue – attached to a devilishly handsome face.

“Ewww. Conner. Gross! “ Tara growled. “Gee they must be scraping the bottom of the barrel to call you in on this one!” she lightened up; glad to see him here in this madness. They’d met at a number of film sets during the year and he had a knack in cheering her up each time. Conner grinned at her and bounded off to join the extras who were cast for the park scene. One of them had a frisby and Conner was showing off, attempting to grab the disk out of its flight path every time it left someones hands.

Tara sniffed again . Why does the male population think that their tongues anywhere near you will turn you on? Another lost cause though. Everyone knew Conner didn’t chase the girls.

The make up artist finished Taras ‘do’ off gave her hair and final spray and called for the next candidate. As she leapt off the stool, the director approached Tara and Harrison, shaking his hand enthusiastically and smoothing Taras hair. “ So, this is Tara?” She’s not much of a looker, but I have seen her work and she is certainly very talented. I mean look at her, if those eyes could talk hey? Well, we’d better get this pooch ad rolling – you know what they say about never working with animals in films hey?”

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4 comments:

Kerri W said...

Congratulations Annie on your first Friday fiction. Love the twist :)

Jodi Cleghorn said...

I feel very privledged to have had first go at reading this back last week when you wrote it.

Great twist that left me going 'huh?' in case I had completely and utterly missed the point.

Congratulations on your first FF ... and we'll get the link up early on Friday so others can stop by next week to read too!!

So does this mean you've officially entered the blogsphere?

Chris said...

Very creative piece and well written. However, I picked up on the hints all too soon. I loved the twist, I just think, for me, it was given away too soon. I figured it out during the wind machine. Still, a very enjoyable read.

Jodi Cleghorn said...

Hiya honey - have a little something for you over on my blog! You can hit me Wednesday - but it will give you something to write about until then :o)