Chapter 7: Lights, Camera, Action
I was sat on my bed, looking out a window whilst practicing sketches with my new pencils Da Vinci had bought for me. These pencils were just amazing to draw it and it was so much easier to shade. The many sights I saw through the window provided some good influence for what I could sketch, such as some of my brothers and sisters playing in the garden below or the rows of houses in the distance. After a few more strokes, my sketches were now getting much more well done and detailed and I was about to start another one.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" That is until I nearly flinched from the sudden scream come from three voices in unison. Putting my sketchbook and pencil away, I stood up and headed to where I thought the noise came from, the Triple D's room. Their door was left slightly ajar so I went ahead and opened it before looking in to see all three of the girls in a state of panic.
"This is like, a total disaster!" Dallas was tugging at her ears in distress. "Why couldn't the studio have found a replacement?!" Destiny added to this commotion. "Why! Why of all like, days did the lighting technician had to get sick on the day before our commercial gig tomorrow!" Deja Vu finished with this question, so that's what the problem was. "With one less of the staff, our commercial will like, probably flop and our family's source of income will be no more! We're doomed!" Dallas distressed, putting a hand to her forehead in the manner of a fainting pose before collapsing to the floor on her knees. "DOOMED!" Deja Vu and Destiny parroted in unison, doing the same faint pose and collapsing next to their sister. Destiny then suddenly noticed me at the doorway with a befuddled look from witnessing their dramatic reaction to this conundrum. She whispered to the other two as Dallas' eyebrows raised up. The three then stood up with smiles on their faces as Dallas approached me, hands behind her back.
"Codyyyyyyyyy?" Dallas chimed in a manner like she was about to ask me for a favour.
The very next day, I was standing outside our home with the Triple D waiting for our transport to the TV studio. The Triple D had asked me if I could be the temporary lighting technician yesterday after I had found them in their state of distress. I was a little unsure at first until they reassured me that all I'd really have to do is position the stage lights were instructed. Staff must be pretty tight at the studio for them to rely on me for such a task. It wouldn't be until a few minutes later when probably the most glamorous limousine I had ever seen in my life. Coated in pure white, matching the main fur colour of the Triple D and their siblings. Well, besides me that is. Destiny quickly took hold of my hand and lead me inside the limo, sitting me down. "You're like totally lucky to ride with us for a human." Deja Vu smirked as Dallas slipped on a pair of fancy looking glasses and before long, we were on our way.
It was maybe fifteen minutes before we arrived at the television studio, with me following behind the three as I couldn't help but take in the sights of the studio we were situated in. Countless rows of cameras grouped together for whenever they'd be needed, microphones positioned nearly on a shelf and tons of other recording and editing apparatus. The stage was a huge empty green screen room with the exception of some styrofoam mountainous walls, my view of the whole place was cut short as a man in a simple shirt, pants and glasses approached us.
"Ah, Triple D. Just in time. Have you come with your temporary replacement for the light technician?" He asked as Dallas gestured to me. "Oh totally, he's right here!" I gave a small wave to the man whom I could only assume was the director of this gig as he looked at me confused. "...Is this supposed to be a joke? All I'm seeing is a little kid." He remarked. "Oh, not at all! Like, all he has to do is hold a light, yeah? I'm sure even a child could totally do that." Dallas replied with a grin, but the director's unamused face didn't falter. "Girls, unless you're taking this seriously, I need an actual lighting technician. A little boy like him isn't trained, he isn't qualified, he's not even insured." He affirmed strictly. "Ohh, but he's like, a reliable little guy! Besides… you don't want us little darlings to end up living on the streets, would you?" Destiny held her hands together and gave the director the biggest pair of puppy eyes she could muster whilst quivering her lower lip, making Dallas roll her eyes. It seemed to work however as the director sighed in defeat. "Alright, I'll give him a chance. We're tight on schedule either way." The three girls smirked at each other as the director gestured me to follow him.
A few minutes later, I was on top of a platform above the stage, standing next to an activated stage light. I had a pretty long harness tied to said platform so I wouldn't crash land onto the floor if I happened to fall off. "Now remember, just hold the stage light in place and only move it when you're directed to." The director instructed to which I responded with a "Yes, sir." before firmly gripping the handles of the light. I could see the Triple D below now in mountain climbing gear which was coloured obviously in pink. At the top of the makeshift mountain was a carton of milk I hadn't seen before, must be a new product they were advertising for.
"Alright, quiet on the set! And we are live in three… two… one… and action!" The director declared, remembering my instructions, I kept my grip on the stage light. One of the crew staff turned on a fan next to the mountain prop to simulate wind whilst tossing small cotton balls in front of it to look like blizzard snow. The mountain prop itself was pretty high, if anyone were to slip off the ledge the Triple D were slowly shuffling upwards on, they'd no doubt get hurt badly. "We can't give up…! Only a few more steps, and we'll be bursting with energy from the new Scandva Milk!" Dallas called out to her sisters as she was taking the lead of the three up the mountain. I was so focused on my task at hand that I did not notice anything in my surroundings but the Triple D as the two of them had just reached the top and the last, whom was Destiny was carefully and slowly climbing upwards to the top ledge, I swear I thought I saw her actually struggling.
My focus started to dwindle as I felt something slowly crawl on my hand, I glanced at said hand and was meet face to face with a spider staring directly back at me. Immediately, I yelped in panic, losing all of my focus as I swung my hand around in an attempt to get it off, unknowingly having the light aim directly at Destiny when she only had one hand cling onto the ledge. "Ahh! Too bright!" She exclaimed as she attempted to cover the light from her eyes, unaware until the last second that her fingers on the ledge were slipping. After I no longer felt or saw the spider on me, I looked back down in horror to see Destiny just before she finally lost her grip and was plummeting to the floor, screaming in terror. I had to do something, if I didn't act now, god knows what could've happened to her. What I did next might have been either the bravest or most stupidest thing I've done. I leaped off the platform and fell until there was no harness left and I was swinging towards Destiny from the momentum. With my hands reached out, I just managed to grab hold of her in my arms and swing back upwards, landing onto the ledge, Destiny safe and sound, but before I could mentally celebrate my act of bravery…
"CUT! CUT!" The shout of the director rang out as we looked down to see him staring back up at us with a vexed look on his face. "Destiny, Dallas and Deja Vu Dalmatian. Come down here. And bring you're "human stuntman" with you." He instructed firmly. I tried to apologise to the three but Dallas was quick to shoot a very angry glare at me, which immediately shut me up before I could utter even a single word. I trudged behind the Triple D, my head facing the ground as I knew how much trouble I was in until we stopped in front of the director.
"S-Sir, we-" Deja Vu attempted to explain before the director held a hand up to cut her off. "You four." He began. "I don't like the little stunt you and your human pulled off back there." I could just about feel the dread leaking out of the three as he said that.
"..."
"...I LOVED IT!" Were the next words to suddenly come out of his mouth! "Huh?!" We all retorted in shock as he stood up with an amazed smile. "Why didn't we think of this sooner?! The last of the Triple D is suddenly blinded by the harsh light of the sun through the clouds and is potentially falling to her death but then a guardian angel in the form of an innocent little boy appears from the light and flies down and saves her from her certain doom to really push the message of a dog being man's best friend and that you just need a little miracle sometimes to achieve your hardest goal! That little miracle being him right there!" The director boasted excitedly as he pointed at me with the biggest grin on his face. "All the anthros and humans around the world will love this unexpected twist so much, they definitely buy more Scandva Milk! You and your family can definitely expect a bonus to your payment! Ah, where are my editors, I must see to them at once!" He dashed off to find the aforementioned editors of this commercial in progress as the three turned back to me, Dallas' earlier look of fury now replaced with astonishment.
"A-Am I still in trouble…?" I stammered, still feeling partially responsible for almost ruining their performance. "Aww like, come here you total rascal!" Dallas suddenly rushed over and picked me up, planting a kiss on my cheek, earning a very red blush from me as my two other diva sisters joined in the group hug.
It was later in the afternoon when me and the rest of my Dalmatian family were cooped up in the living room, watching the television in wait of the newest Scandva Milk commercial courtesy of the Triple D and I. Soon enough, it finally did air with the first half playing exactly as I remembered witnessing it at the studio, only with thanks to special effects, it looked like they were much higher up in the snowy mountains up until the point where Destiny was struggling up to the top when the light glared on her, making her slip, causing everyone in the family besides me and the Triple D to gasp. And then there was me, diving downwards towards Destiny within the clouds, the special effects having edited some wings onto me and a sparkle effect along with editing out the harness, making it look like I was actually flying as I held onto Destiny and "flew" her back up to safety before the commercial ended with a close up shot of the milk carton with the tagline "An innocent miracle is sometimes needed for that extra creamy goodness." Everyone applauded us as I felt the familiar hand of Dolly ruffle my hair. "Well, look at that! Our human bro is our own little hero!" She chimed happily with my other brothers and sisters all giving me similar praising comments.
It wasn't until a few minutes later that I was lead to the Triple D's bedroom by Dallas herself who turned to me with an eager grin with the other two having the same expression. "Cody, you like, gotta tell us where you got the idea for that wicked stunt!" She pleaded, gently squeezing my arms as the other two leaned over to me until their faces were just inches away from mine. "Yes! Please tell us!" I chuckled a little before explaining. "Well… It was really more of an accident. I was only doing what I was asked until… well..." My face contorted in disgust a little upon having to recall that spider on my hand, but it contorted even more as I looked above Dallas. "...Until that showed up." Dallas looked at me confused until she looked up also with her sisters following suit. Above her was another spider hanging by a thread as it looked like it was attempting to climb back up along it, but the thread suddenly snapped, making the spider fall.
...And land on Dallas' face. Even though her fur was mainly white, Deja Vu, Destiny and I could tell she was turning pale from the eight legged beast on her. I immediately covered my ears as I knew exactly what was going to happen next.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
?'s POV
I stared silently at my TV with a beer bottle in my hand. With me having a job with a pay that's probably smaller than my own boss' knob, I had to always rely on the crappy cheap kind of beer that was at least somewhat drinkable. The current show I was watching went to a commercial break, making me grunt in annoyance. Who the hell wants to have their show stopped to let someone show off some useless crap you're never gonna buy on screen? I grunted in annoyance as I decided to suck it up and get this over with. The first two commercials were dull and boring as you'd expect, the third however was at least somewhat interesting since it starred those three dogs I remember from a commercial for Jump Jet Pizza. Have to admit, those guys over there make a real damn good pizza. I noticed that my current bottle was empty and tossed it away before grabbing another and downing it. I blinked one eye open at the screen and immediately spat out the beer in my mouth in shock.
...It was him. The insufferable little runt I had thrown off that bridge to get him out of my life for good was still alive, flying across the screen and swooping up the mountain with one of those diva mutts in his arms. After getting over my initial shock, I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. I wasn't. I could see him right there in the television screen. He was no doubt eventually going to squeal to the police about me dumping his ass and have me in a cell. Well not if I have anything to say about it. I threw the bottle away and pulled away one of the floorboards below me before pulling out a rusted crowbar before glaring at the little mistake on the screen one last time.
I won't rest until I find that little regret of mine, wherever he is and I dispose of him for good myself.