Another Suitcase in Another Hall

"I don't expect my love affairs to last for long; never fool myself that my dreams will come true…"

Sarah closed the lid of her suitcase with a thunk and turned toward the bathroom. She could hear the shower still running.

"I'm leaving," she called over the sound of the water. There was no answer.

"I really mean it," she called again. "I'm really going this time." Still no answer.

Sarah huffed angrily and snatched the suitcase up from the bed by its handle. The suitcase was heavier than she'd expected and it landed with a thud on her big toe.

"Ow! Damn it!" she cried, hopping on one foot and massaging her bruised toe with her hand. Furious now, she hobbled over to the bathroom door and stuck her head in. A dense fog of hot steam enveloped her, and she blinked and sputtered.

"Goodbye, jerk!" she yelled to the man in the shower before turning to leave. She paused when she heard the faucet squeak as the man turned off the water.

"Sarah," his voice echoed from the shower.

"Yes?" she called hopefully.

"Don't forget to leave your key."

Sarah screeched in rage and slammed the bathroom door.

Cheri gave her friend a pitiful look and shook her head when Sarah told her what had happened with Jack, her latest ex-boyfriend.

"And you're surprised by this?" asked Cheri.

"Of course," groaned Sarah. "How could I not be? Jack seemed so different. Special."

Cheri sighed and Sarah stiffened defensively. "What?" she asked her friend.

"Sarah," Cheri began, "I hate to break it to you, but Jack was no different from any other jerk you've been with lately. That guy was rude, arrogant, and he treated you like dirt. Why do you keep falling for guys like that?"

"I…I don't," Sarah argued. "I date nice guys."

"Uh huh… name one," Cheri said, folding her arms over her chest.

Sarah thought back over the list of guys she'd dated since moving to California. "Chad was okay," she offered.

"Oh, do you mean Chad the fake Hollywood agent or Chad the compulsive liar?" asked Cheri sarcastically.

"Okay, fine. What about Gregory?"

"He cheated on you."

"Mike?"

"He cheated on you and stole your credit card," Cheri answered.

Sarah put her face in her hands. Cheri was right. It was all true. She was a jerk magnet.

"What is wrong with me?" she asked her friend pitifully.

"I don't know," Cheri answered, reaching out to pat Sarah's hand. "Do you have Daddy issues?"

Sarah laughed out loud. "You have no idea," she replied.

Sarah would let her friend believe whatever she would, but she knew the truth was much darker. So many years had passed and she had come so far…

She had studied theatre in college and auditioned for every part available before moving to New York. Her start in the big city had been rough, but after an extremely lucky break she'd found herself in a much-coveted role in a big time Broadway production. Before she knew what was happening, she'd become a stage star and suddenly she was flying off to Hollywood to be in a television show. It was a small recurring role, but it meant that she was recognized. She heard the whispers all the time now when she went out.

Hey, isn't that Sarah Williams from that show?

She was an actress, and even more, a recognized celebrity. But all that changed when she was alone. At night especially, she was keenly aware that she was still a somewhat frightened girl, jumping at this bump or that creak.

Darker still, on certain nights when the moon shone just right through her window and the wind fluttered through the dark curtains, she could almost feel the tug from another world, a world she'd tried very hard to forget. It was real and it was out there in the dark where the smog of LA turned to mist and the black sky turned to fire. Somewhere, the dreaded congested, twisting highways of the City of Angels melted into the mystical, treacherous and wild labyrinth, and in the center of it all, HIM.

Sarah Rose 29 guessed correctly. The song "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" is from "Evita." Congrats, Sarah Rose 29! You win a fine cask of 1988 Goblin Ale! Just kidding. I'm all out of Goblin Ale.

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Fanny