Girl Among the Wolves (Under Editing)

Ch 2 Part 2: Studio 9

I had gone to a performing arts college hoping I'd get to be an actor, but the world works in funny ways and I ended up working a camera.

 I glanced over at Ariel. Her face was like stone, trying to let me see no emotion.

 "Nathan," She said quietly.  

I nodded.  She gazed out the window at the woods, I knew that was where she wanted to be.  

"No." I commanded.  

She glared at me with fierce eyes.  By now she knew what, "No", meant, and she didn't like it.

I turned my eyes back to the road, but I could see out of the corner of my eye Ariel was pulling at her moccasins.  She didn't get civilized clothes.  When I found her in the woods she wasn't wearing anything.  No, I'm not a pervert.  I didn't rescue her because she was naked, that would be ridiculous.  I'm not that kind of guy.  

Finally I pulled the car into a very full parking lot.  I took the nearest spot I could find, only about a million feet from the studio.  

I got out and opened the door for Ariel.  Her eyes darted around confused.  She had never seen a building this big, she was probably scared.  Now it occurred to me that this might've been a bad idea.  Ariel never saw more than two humans at a time, this place had dozens.  She probably didn't even know she was a human until she met me.  

I took her hand with a smile and we started walking slowly to the studio.  Ariel gave me a hopeful smile.  

"Run?" She looked at me pleadingly.  

I knew that  wolves longed to run.  I grinned back at her and we raced to the doors.  She beat me by a longshot.  I gasped for air as I got to the door.  

I pointed at her.

 "You're good."  

She beamed proudly at the compliment.  She slid her hand into mine like she had seen me do to her.  I knew she was becoming more human.  I held the door open for her and she walked in with no protest.  

My boss, Mr. Gully, screamed at me upon arrival.

"Cook!  You're late!" He bellowed, which is pretty weird for a short guy.  

He stood about to my chest and was bald,  making it hard to respect his authority.    

"Sorry, boss.  I had something to take care of." I said quietly.  

My boss was short, but he was scary when he felt like screaming.  

Ariel held out her hand for him to shake like I taught her.  Mr. Gully looked at her in astonishment.  

"And who is this?" He asked kissing her hand instead of shaking it.  I pulled Ariel's hand back.  

"This is, uh, my cousin.  She's deaf and she's living with me for a while." I lied.  

If they knew she was abandoned, they would take her to the police and probably a mental hospital.  Ariel could only understand my signs, she could pull the deaf thing off.

"Well she is welcome here." Mr. Gully said looking at her warmly.  Gross...

All the mic guys nearly dropped their microphones as Ariel and I passed.  Ariel growled at them as they stared at her.  

"No." I ordered and pulled up a stool for Ariel.  

I sat on mine and turned on the assigned camera.  

"Stay here." I ordered with stern eyes.  

She pouted but stayed.  Studio 9 was making a remake of the movie, "Cat Woman"  We were shooting a scene where cat woman jumps of the cliff to run away from her foes and lands gracefully in the water.  The big cliff made of strong plastic held the actor with ease.  I watched as she repeated her jump again and again, the director wanted it perfect.  

I looked behind me to check on Ariel, she was being oddly quiet.  An empty space took her place.  Where was she?!  Suddenly I heard a howl behind me.  

Crap!  I thought as I turned around.  Ariel stood on top of the fake cliff howling to the ceiling.  I thought I told her to stay!

"Cut!" The director yelled.  I thought at that moment they would throw her out and never let her return.  

"That was perfect!" He exclaimed and the whole studio started clapping.

 Ariel watched the director with disdain.  

"We could mix up the story and have an epic  battle between cat woman and wolf girl!  I want this girl's name and number!" He said.

 I  quickly jumped up and slid in front of him.  

"Her name is Ariel and she doesn't have a number."

I leaned close to whisper, "She's deaf, I'm her cousin so I interpret." He nodded in understanding.   

"Ask her if she's willing to take a job." He demanded pushing up his glasses.  I climbed up the plastic hill to sign to Ariel.  Do you want to be in a motion picture? I signed.  The look of confusion on her face told me she had no clue what that was.  I'd have to show her a movie sometime.

"She says no." 

"She has to consider this.  Any regular actress couldn't possibly capture that raw emotion on camera." He said.

 "I'm sorry, she can't." 

Irritation flashed on the director's face, but he contained himself.  

"And why can't she?"

 "Well, um, she has epilepsy and the lights will give her a seizure." I lied.  

"Fine, I'll just come up with some other actress." He sighed trying to guilt me into making her act for him.  

"Okay, I'll just take my cousin and leave now." I said looking at the clock, closing time.  Ariel waved goodbye to the director as I dragged her out of the building.