Hunter

Chapter 7: Rehearsal

Sam stood with a semi-thick book in her hand at the center of a black room with a spotlight shining on her. A man's husky voice is heard from the back of the room. A small blue light was shinning on the man, you couldn't see his face you could just see the outline of a tall well balanced man. A short girl was sitting at a light board trying different light fixtures on Sam.

"Sam you need to speak up, I can barely hear you from back here. You also shouldn't have your script on stage, you should've been memorized by now. And where the hell is Hunter? Where is my stage manager?"

"Ummm I'm not sure Jason, she's been missing since yesterday morning." Sam explained

"And you haven't said anything to the cops?" Jason asked.

"Yes, we have but they said we have to wait 48 hours before they can start investigating." At that moment the stage door opened and Hunter came running. Wearing the same shirt and pants she had been wearing since Saturday at Caroline's

"Sorry I'm late Jason, there was traffic on my way here." Hunter explained climbing the stairs of the theatre to the tech booth. Sam followed Hunter with her eyes surprised at seeing her.

"That's fine, go see Ruby. She has some set designs that need to be looked at." Jason said

"Sure thing, right away." Hunter ran down the stairs and went backstage to meet Ruby. Ruby was a short wavy hair, with a brunette and reddish tone to it girl. She wore a Fernwood High theatre shirt with a grey lightweight jacket. "So Ruby what did you want to show me?" Hunter asked.

"Hunter can I talk to you please." Sonah said coming up behind her. Sonah was covered in white primer paint and held a semi-wet paintbrush in her right hand.

"I'm busy right now." Hunter said in annoyance.

"It'll only be for a minute."

"Than it can wait a minute I need to look at these." Sonah looked at Ruby and nodded to her to leave. Ruby closed her bright red binder and went over to some girls painting on set canvases. Hunter rolled her eyes and turned to look at Sonah annoyed.

"Look about yesterday, I'm sorry for hitting you but you had no right to say what you said. Just because your upset doesn't mean you need to take it out on me and Sam."

"I don't think I did anything Sam to take my anger out on her, I just ran off when I didn't feel welcomed."

"You are always welcomed at home but you were out of line Hunter!"

"I was out of line? Explain how I was out of line to the lovely red mark that was left on my face after you slapped it."

"Sonah, Jason wants you to do your scene now." Sam told Sonah as she walked backstage. Hunter turned and walked over to Ruby and stared down at her binder. Sonah turned to Sam shaking her head and gave the paint brush to Sam. Sam stood confused at everything.

"Is everything ok with you and Sonah, Hunter?" Ruby asked concerned.

"Everything's fine, it's just tense at the house. What was your idea on the set."

"Well I was thinking we could put the two 11 foot flats on the back and-"

"Hunter, Jason wants you too." Sam interrupted.

"Excuse me Ruby." Hunter left Ruby and walked on stage to see Sonah gone. She walked up the stairs of the theatre and stood in front of the tech booth.

"Lily will you excuse us please." Jason asked the girl. The girl grabbed her notes and left Hunter and Jason alone. "You know when I had to choose my stage manager, I chose you because no matter what was going on in your life you would be on task and you gave great ideas to setting up scenes and made them look so real."

"Ok? what's going on I'm not following."

"Sonah came in to do her scene and she got two lines in and ran out. I'm not an idiot Hunter, you come in late you barely look at Sam and you didn't seem yourself. What is going on?"

"Well Saturday I had broken up with Alex." Hunter explained. "And instead of coming home I went straight to my best friend's house and spent the night. I forgot to text Sonah and Sam and so they got worried and when I came home Sunday morning, Sonah and I got in a fight and she slapped me and I ran off again. But that's it."

"Hunter, you are the most experienced stage manager I've ever had and I can't have my actors and my crew fighting so you need to go find Sonah and talk out your problems and the two of you will come back here together. Understood?"

"Yes, understood." Hunter left the room and went looking for Sonah but she had already taken the SUV and left. "Shit." Hunter said to herself. Hunter stood outside at the parking lot, looking around searching for the SUV but there was no sign of it, so she returned to the theatre but came in through the back where Jason couldn't see her.