Checked Out

Chapter 1: Niagara

"Cut!" I screamed at the top of lungs as I threw my hands up in exasperation. I could feel my cheeks burning with anger as I stared down the unwavering girl standing in front of me, challenging me with her eyes. I hurled the papers in my hand towards the floor and stood directly in front of her hoping to evoke some form of emotion.

"Why can you not memorize one line?!" I demanded as I gazed into the blue eyed girl holding my stare as her face evolved into an irritated pout.

"Will you back the hell up?" She asked, her nasally voice echoing throughout the silent room.

"It's a twenty second commercial!" I screamed.

This job will be the death of me. I just started this commercial two weeks ago and for some reason every actress we've gotten has been a pain in the ass. I suppose it is hard to get willing participants for this commercial. Scratch that. Especially for this commercial. This new tampon company has been bugging me for months about their ideas and so far none of them has been accepted by the people who actually have to carry them out.

The first idea had been to involve niagara falls. A blood red niagra falls I might add. After that suggestion the first girl quit.

The second idea had been to have a girl sitting by the ocean and then suddenly the water is a raging sea of crimson.

Then the second girl quit.

And now Rachel here is having the hardest time reciting altered shakespearean lines in relation to her monthly visitor.

Hell. I don't blame her. I don't blame any of them. But if I don't finish this up in the next week I think I'll go mad.

I took in a quick inhalation of air and then placed a hand to my throbbing temple.

"Okay regroup. We start again tomorrow." I was about to pick my paper up from the cold floor when a shrill voice rang out again.

"You know what. Screw this! I quit!" I couldn't stop the disappointed sigh that left my lips. Of course I expected this. What else could I expect. I crouched down and retrieved the messy stack of papers.

As I placed them back in order a large hand gripped my left shoulder blade.

"You ready to start casting again tomorrow?" Another sigh escaped me as I turned to face the large man currently giving me a pitying stare.

"I don't know." I muttered honestly as I placed the papers on the table beside me.

"Listen, I know this is rough, but if you ever want to hit the big time, you got to get through the small stressful things first." I groaned and threw my head back.

"I can't even think about the future right now." I huffed as I stared around the quickly emptying room. Two cameras lay opposite me as I stared wistfully upon the cheesy, cardboard set that I had become all too familiar within these past few days. "Do you know how exhausting this is?" I asked in a whining tone I just couldn't keep from coming out.

"Of course I know. I've been here every step of the way."

"But Jake. It's a damn tampon commercial! This should not be so difficult." Jake gazed down at his shoes, giving me a perfect view of his shiny bald head. After a few seconds his emerald eyes met mine.

"Maybe you should tell the company it's either your way or you're out." I turned back to the papers while bracing my slumping form against the table.

"But I need the money." My voice came out in a whisper.

"Then you just have to get through it." I listened as his footsteps echoed behind me. I let my eyelids fall as the silence embraced me.

A loud clicking filled my ear, causing my eyes to fly open.