Creatures of Kindness

CHAPTER TWO: FRIEND

Aside from Eloise making a point to greet and thank him daily for his supporting efforts, he had no other cause to interact with her for the next few days, until Saturday night came.

After the show, the lonely creature stood slowly winding a rope into a coil up in the loft. Contemplative, he looked out over the empty auditorium and sighed. Such life and vibrancy had filled it just under an hour before; now it lay empty and silent. He grinned with melancholy fondness as he cast his eyes down onto the stage, remembering Eloise standing there bringing gasps and laughter to the crowd. She herself was a bright light. He thought of her kind smile, and it made his chest hurt.

He froze, holding his breath, his eyes growing wider as his ears perked up at a soft, lilting sound. Someone was singing. Standing quite still, he tracked the sound to the stairwell leading down from the dressing rooms, followed it as it grew, coming closer down the backstage corridor, and gasped quietly, his brow furrowing as the person entered backstage left. Eloise. It had to be. The song was strange to him, as much of the world yet was in his reborn infancy within it. The sound trailed off as she crept closer to the stage, apparently listening, herself, to see if she was alone. Silently, the creature stepped back into shadow, waiting to see if she would come into sight. She did.

Satisfied that she was alone, Eloise resumed her pretty melody as she strolled slowly across the stage, running her fingers absently over the edges of the scenery, apparently lost in thought. The lonely creature, drawn out from the shadow, stepped silently forward on the catwalk to keep her in his sight, and as the soothing sound of her soft voice swept gently through him like a sweet, cool breeze, he felt a keen longing pierce his breast to know what it was she thought of. Her song was such a mournful one, and though he couldn't make out the words, he heard her heart, broken, speaking through that aching melody. His brow furrowed and his breath came quicker.

Then there was a noise out at the backstage door. Voices. Male voices. Male footsteps. Eloise, whose ears could not discern those sounds from her vantage point, continued singing, and more loudly, as she turned out toward the auditorium, her pretty voice echoing back from the empty seats and decorated walls. The lonely creature watched Eloise, wondered how she would interact with the newcomers, and was perturbed as she at last heard their voices, stiffened upright, cast her eyes this way and that, found no escape, and realized she would be found in the open. Why was an actress, by definition outgoing, so very shy? Why did she behave like hunted quarry? He watched her scurry toward stage left, where she might escape toward the dormitories, then halt as the voices came from that direction.

"Little songbird, are ye?" James' voice entered, laughing a little, and Eloise froze, quite still, casting her eyes down as her hands clasped together in front of her breast.

"What other talents does she hide, I wonder?" Simon's voice sounded.

"James, Simon," she murmured very quietly. "Goodnight," she added, and took a few rapid steps to pass them, then checked as Simon apparently blocked her exit. The lonely creature could not see either man yet, but his brow lowered and his eyes narrowed at the sound of Simon's voice.

"You can't go to bed yet," Simon's words echoed boldly. He was always loud. "We came back to fetch you, Elly, for the festivities. You've had a good week – done well to fill Maude's shoes."

"Well as anybody could, I suppose," James chimed in.

Eloise came back into view as she backed up again toward the front of the stage. Her eyes were cast down. "Thank you," she bobbed her head. "But I don't care much for going out," she told them.

"That's the thanks we get for finally inviting her out, is it?" said Simon to James as both men strode slowly forward into view. James shook his head.