Chapter Three
It was opening night of the London Theater Company's play Saral. Basil glanced around the elaborate theater, searching for any suspicious activity. He looked down at Josh in the orchestra pit. Josh nodded to the detective as he tuned his violin. Dr. Dawson was sitting in the chair next to him. The lights dimmed as the curtain rose.
I, meanwhile, was as nervous and jumpy as could be, waiting in the wing for my entrance cue. I had received several threatening notes over the past few weeks, not to mention the feelin that someone was following me every time I went out. Josh had moved in with Basil for some strange reason. He told me it was because his other flat was going under a few repairs, but I found out from Mr. Bailey, his landlord, one day while passing the boardinghouse, that there were no repairs under way at his old flat. Someone had tried to break into Basil's flat the first night he was there, which the mysterious letter-writer had forewarned. The writer had also threatened to kill Josh if I told anything to Basil.
Merino the director walked over to me, disturbing my thoughts. "Miss Sarentis," he said, "your entrance is in a few more lines. Now remember, the Queen is here, and we can't have any mistakes. Are you ready for this?" I nodded dumbly, hardly hearing the pep talk. "All right, you're on!" He lightly pushed me toward the stage.
The first act was flawless. A slightly younger actor named Albert Olk, who was more willing to work with me, had replaced Kaminski. I actually forgot all my problems on stage.
At intermission, Basil and Dawson paid me a quick visit in my dressing room. "What a performance!" Dawson congratulated me. "Bravo, Meg!"
Basil looked a bit distracted. "Oh, yes, very good. Everything all right back here, Miss Sarentis?"
"Yes," I said uncertainly. He was making me nervous. "I'm quite fine, Basil." I stopped talking. He was examining the walls of the room. "Well, I need to prepare for the next act. Thank you all for visiting me."
"Oh, certainly. The Queen must be having such an enjoyable time!" Dawson said. "Right, Basil?"
"Oh. Yes."
Not two minutes after they left, another knock resounded on my door. "Who is it?" I asked.
"Delivery for a Missus Megana."
I opened the door. A young delivery boy stood there with a bouquet of a dozen gorgeous red roses. "Why, thank you!" I exclaimed. "Who are they from?"
Instead of saying Josh like I thought he would, he replied, "The gent wanted to be listed 'Anonymous' Missus."
After he left, I placed them on my vanity, searching for a note. I found one and opened it. It said:
To an exemplary performance, my sweet Megana, whose short
career shall reach the finale before the play's end.
I dropped the note, suddenly terrified. Was it really him?
The second act was frightening to me. I could tell he was there. He was watching me.
Well into the play I could smell smoke. Some inconsiderate smoker in the audience I thought. But then the smell became stronger. Soon thick, black smoke started to fill the theater.
"FIRE!"
Immediately a panic arose. Everyone jumped up from their seats and scrambled to the exits. I ran backstage, trying to find Josh. "Josh, Josh!" I shouted. I pushed my way through the musicians trying to exit, looking for my fiancé.
Suddenly, a strong pair of hands grabbed me, covering my mouth before I could shout out for help. "You're mine, Meg," my captor whispered evilly to me. I kicked him in the shins and scrambled away as he cursed and grabbed his leg. I took one look back, but couldn't see him. He must have still been behind the curtains.
I ran straight into Basil coming from the opposite direction. "Meg!" He grasped my arm, pulling me to an exit. Flames blocked each one.
"There's no way out!" I screamed.
"We'll find a way. Follow me!"
He started to climb a ladder backstage, which led to the rafters of the theater. I pulled off my clothes down to my undergarments, following suit. Before we reached the top, the ladder started to fall. "JUMP!" Basil yelled. I jumped into the air. Before I fell, Basil grabbed me around the waist, swinging from a rope to the Queen's balcony seat. We stumbled to the floor. Soon we were up and running again, this time to the stairs to the roof. When we got there, the exit was once again barred with flames. I was starting to get dizzy from the smoke.
"End of the line, Basil!"
We turned around. Professor Ratigan was standing there, leering at us. My heart skipped a beat. He was alive! I hid behind Basil, self-conscious. "What do you want, rat?" Basil said. I stared fearfully at Basil. Ratigan was going to kill him now!
"Just revenge against the one who took my wife away from me."
"Your wife? YOUR WIFE! She was never legally your wife, Ratigan!"
"Basil?" I asked timidly. I was almost overwhelmed from the smoke.
Basil steadied me before I fell. "See what you did to her?" he shouted to Ratigan. "She's inhaling smoke!"
Basil then did something totally bold. He threw me over his shoulder and darted up the stairs, through the fire. I heard gunshots as we left the rat behind us. "I'll get you for this, BASIL!" he screeched. "I'LL HAVE HER YET!"
On the rooftop, Basil searched for a ladder that would lead downward. When he couldn't find one, he backed up, still holding me. He took a running leap off the building, landing on the building next to the London Theater. The theater collapsed behind us.
JWJ: Why did I see this coming?
Lizz: He's not dead!
Leigh: 'I'm getting better!'
Emma: We need to stop the "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" quotes.
JWJ: Sheesh, why do you all even like that movie? Sounds so stupid.
Leigh: That's why it's so great!
Meg: Stop it! Thanks Leigh, now we're really off topic!
RAEB: I don't get it. Why did you kill Ratigan and then bring him back to life again?
Meg: First of all, I had never said he was dead. You all just assumed that he was dead. I said that the body was never found.
JWJ: A loophole that you used to bring Ratigan back into the picture in that "Sing Sweetly" story. It is so unrealistic.
Meg: Get over it.
