The Stage

The curtain hanging in front of me was thick, velvet, and old. It clearly hadn't been cleaned in decades and the big give away was the golden tassels at the base. Being dragged through stage dust for so many years had turned them brown.

My wheelchair was in the parked position and I was picking at the stuffing in the armrest. I didn't need the wheelchair all the time, but I always found myself sitting in it whenever there was something to get nervous about. Pulling at the stuffing was something I had always done to distract me.

For a fancy stage, the floor was surprisingly slanted. I could feel my chair wanting to roll backwards even with the breaks on. It's only when you sit somewhere, waiting, that you start to notice these things.

"Are you ready?" Jayne asked in her usual calm voice.

She had been coaching me for this role for weeks. Playing little games and helping me raise my confidence. I didn't understand the point of most of the activities, mostly memory games to help me learn my lines, but I was certainly ready, I wasn't going to mess up this chance.

You see, guys like me don't usually get these sorts of breaks. I was born early, too early in most people's opinion, which meant my development was stunted and I struggled to get a good grasp on life. I spent the first few years in and out of hospital trying to figure out which parts of my body worked, and which ones needed upgrading.

"Ouch!" I winced as I pulled my on my drip.

"Oh sorry, was I stepping on it again?" Jayne asked, checking her feet to make sure she wasn't.

A knowing grin crept across my face.

"I fall for that every time!" She said, annoyed but smiling. "Do you remember your line?"

"Please do not assume people like me are bad people, treat everyone with respect." I said proudly for the millionth time today.

"That's great." She said. "Your parents are out in the crowd."

"Where?" I asked, looking around for them and smiling.

She pointed to the back of the curtain. "When the curtain opens look over there and you'll see them."

It was obvious that my parents would be here. They wouldn't miss this for anything. They were my biggest supporters. They came to all my castings, they even paid for the hotel and for Jayne to help me and Jayne was the best in the business. Apparently, they had to re-mortgage their house and it had caused arguments, but they were determined to help me realise my dream.

It was something I had always wanted. To be on stage. One of my earliest memories was watching Casablanca on the black and white TV in the lounge. To see such amazing and beautiful actors performing for me. I was hooked and I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

You see, life for me wasn't easy, always in and out of the hospital, I was home-schooled and didn't have many friends growing up. Not until my sister turned up. We had the best times watching movies together. When she went to school I would create stories and we would act them out when she got home. Then, when she learnt to drive we would go to the movies, theatres and wherever else we wanted.

"Jayne?" I asked, "Is Susie coming tonight?"

"No Kevin, she won't be here tonight." She looked upset for me. I was upset.

I was afraid of this. I hadn't seen her in weeks, not after our big argument. I wanted to go to the movies to see a new film, but she was too busy with her boyfriend.

I didn't like him. He talked to me like I was a baby, and Susie never corrected him. The last time I saw her she was out in the yard, with him, sunbathing and refusing to take me to the movies, refusing to even talk to me. It was a silly argument and I had hoped she might have forgiven me by now.

I had spent all the time since then in the hotel preparing for tonight. When I asked about her, I was told she was ill, but I had hoped that she would be here tonight. Hopefully, without her boyfriend.

Never mind. The show must go on, as they say.

I could hear the rustling of the crowd. It was big. I overheard a crew member saying 'There hadn't been a performance on this stage in years'. That's the problem with living in such a small town, the theatre rarely rolled in. But tonight, I was the opening act, I was honoured.

Footsteps, on the other side of the curtain. It was the stage manager. The crowd went quiet and I grasped at more of the chair's padding in my hand. This was it.

The curtains flew open, the crowd gasped then cheered. It was just me on stage, but I was ready.

I glanced over to my parents, my mum was crying into my dad's shoulder. She was so happy.

The stage manager turned to face me and started reading his script.

"Kevin Smith, we are here today to witness your execution for the murder of your sister Susie Smith, and her fiancé, Daniel Jarvis on the First of this month in the front yard of your home address. Although you were never able to give a plea, you were found guilty and subsequently, found to be of sufficient intellect to understand your actions.”

He gave a nod to Jayne at that point who agreed with him. She was such a good actress.

“Therefore you have been committed to lethal injection in front of these people as witnesses. Do you have any last words?"

This was it, this was my line I had rehearsed. "Please do not assume people like me are bad, treat everyone with respect."

Then the stage manager walked up behind me and injected my drip with something. Just like in rehearsal.

That was it. I was so happy; I didn't stumble over my lines and I could tell from the audience's smiles that they were pleased with my performance.

I closed my eyes and waited for my applause.