His Friend's Last Request

Author's Note; Just keep in mind that although it's not written that way, the characters have British/English accents.

“Cut! . . . Reshoot . . . Take 347 . . . Rolling . . . Lights! . . . Camera! . . . Action! . . .”

Albert Cole leaned closer to his fellow actor, Hugo Quill, “This is ridiculous. We’ve been ‘ere since four this morning and they’re still doing the same scene.”

“They’re just running on empty as far as sleep goes. You know, even we get silly when we’re tired,” Hugo reminded in his usual good-natured way.

“I think Matt is always silly. They need to get someone else for that part or we’re going to be ‘ere for the next thirty years.”

“It’s a little late to get someone else. Besides, Matt does his part quite well . . . when he’s not laughing.” He chuckled. “You know, today is the last scene I’ll be acting in. And you should finish in a couple of days if all goes as planned.”

“Good.”

“I mean . . . I guess I’m about ready to be done too but won’t you miss the others?” He stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the wall.

Albert gave his friend a sideways glance. “Not Matt.”

“We’ve all been working together for so long it will seem weird not seeing each other all the time.” Hugo paused. “Or at all.”

This change in attitude caught Albert off guard. What happened to Hugo’s always-good, almost-to-a-fault, attitude? He had no idea what to say but fortunately the director, Phil Evans, unknowingly rescued him.

“Albert!”

The young actor quickly pulled his mind back to the set. “Uh . . . yes?”

“You good?”

“Oh. Yeah.” He glanced around and realized they had finally finished that scene and it was at the part where he - or rather- his character, Liam Baldwin happens upon Hugo’s character, Sam, just as he commits suicide. It seemed odd to have this part toward the end of the movie but then he wasn’t the director.

Hugo slipped a piece of paper into his friend’s hand. “Don’t read it until this scene is done.”

Albert nodded and stepped behind the false door, preparing for the call to start filming.

“And . . . Action!”

~Liam rushed into the small house and searched the main room with one glance.

“Sam! I know you’re ‘ere! Please. Don’t make this any worse than it already is.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “ They told me what you did. But it’s alright. Come out and we can talk.”

He tried to still his panting and listen for any response but there was only silence.

Brushing his fingers through his thick, dark hair, he made his way to the door that led to the kitchen. He gently pushed it open and then sharply sucked air in through his teeth. But before he could utter a word, Sam raised a glinting knife and plunged it toward himself.~

The cameraman came around to catch the horrified look on “Liam’s” face and then the assistant direction called “cut”.

“Perfect,” the director clasped his hands together with satisfaction.

Albert barely heard him. The look of horror on his face wasn’t the rehearsed one. It was real.

**************************************************************************

“Mr. Cole. Albert. I know it’s been a long . . . bad day, but we need to ask you some questions.” The policeman stood in front of Albert’s chair with a notepad and pen in hand. “Someone switched the fake retractable knife that Mr. Hugo Quill was supposed to use, with a straight one, and we need to find out who.”

Albert peeled his gaze off the set, where his friend and fellow-actor had taken his last breath, and fixed them on the officer.

“And you think I did it?” He swallowed hard.

“I didn’t say that. But anything you can tell me might help. Did Mr . . . Did your friend have any enemies? Anyone that might want him . . . gone.”

Albert stood. “Can you quit treating me like a kid! And no. He was everybody’s friend.” The young actor sank back into his chair. “There wasn’t a person around here– ”

“What about someone that’s not from around here?”

Albert shrugged. “I only knew him on set. I mean, besides the fact that a bunch of us would ‘ang out together and I meant his mom once, but other than that I-I wouldn’t know.”

“So it’s possible that when he was around his fellow actors his attitude was also an act.”

“What – No! Officer, Mr. Quill was the most genuine person I ever met.”

The policeman nodded. “Just one more question. You mentioned his mom, what about his dad?”

Albert gave the man an odd look. He thinks Hugo’s father would kill him?! But he was too tired to make any remark about this. “Dead.”

The officer gave a sympathetic look and with a “thanks for your time” moved on to question someone else. But the actor wasn’t paying attention. Hugo had said that his father had killed himself. That was the only time Albert had ever heard him sound sad until . . . today. Did he know what was going to happen?

“Now will you just stop?” Albert scolded himself. But his friend’s voice echoed in his mind.

“You know, today is the last scene that I’ll be acting in.” “ . . . I’m about ready to be done . . .” “ . . . it will seem weird not seeing each other all the time. Or at all.”

This last part stuck out. They were in the same school so . . . why the “or at all”?

A loud exclamation interrupted his thoughts. He spun in his chair and saw a woman, whom he recognized as Hugo’s mom, sink into a chair with her hands over her mouth. A policeman stood in front of her. Surely she had already been told that her son had been killed. So what could have possibly upset her over that.

He wasn’t left wondering for long. The officer that had previously questioned him showed up by his side.

“Mr. Cole? Could you take a seat?”

Albert obeyed.

“They found the retractable bladed knife in Hugo Quill’s pocket. Now normally I would say that it had been planted but–”

“He killed himself, didn’t he?” The actor interrupted.

“You tell me.”

Albert supported his head with his hand and shrugged.

The policeman continued, “We found his name on the alleged murder weapon. Right on the handle. It could have still been planted but don’t you think he would have noticed that it was his knife?”

A nod was all he could manage.

“I’m gonna need your contact information just in case I need to get ahold of you.”

Another nod. Somehow he managed to write down his phone number, address, and email for the policeman. And then he was alone. He knew he should see if there was anything he could do for Mrs. Quill but he was certain he would just make her more miserable. Just a little while ago he was complaining about such a petty thing as Matt goofing off on set for most of a long morning and now . . .

He stood up and made his way toward the parking lot. But before he’d gotten more than a few steps the assistant director called his name.

“Albert. You can keep walking but if you don’t mind I need to talk to you.” Without waiting for an answer he continued, “We did get that scene and it was perfect. I just need to know if . . . I mean, you are still gonna finish the movie, right? People out there are holding their breath for when it comes out.”

Albert stopped dead in his tracks. “You can’t show that scene in the movie!”

“Does that mean you’ll finish the movie?”

“Not if you put that scene in it.”

“I guess you do have another one with a small mistake that we can edit and put in. But . . .”

“Can I have a moment alone?”

The assistant director nodded and turned around, heading the opposite direction.

Just after he left the door opened to the big Hollywood building and Albert’s mom walked in. Of course. She was good friends with Hugo’s mom. Without thinking he fell into her open arms.

“Mama.”He didn’t care that his friends might kid him about this kind of action when he was almost eighteen. Most likely nobody even noticed.

She held him tight. “I’m so sorry, darling.”

It was only then that he remembered the paper his late friend had handed him. A little hesitant he left his mom’s comforting embrace, reached into his pocket and pulled it out.

Albert,

I kind of know what you are going through right now but I had to. Perhaps it’s best you never know why but don’t worry it wasn’t anything you did or said. You’ve been the best friend I’ve ever had.

I only have one last request. Finish the movie. I know it will probably be hard but do it for me, will you? Pour your heart into it. But don’t stop there. Don’t crawl into a hole when it’s over. I had to do what I had to do and you need to do what you need to do and that doesn’t include anything wild.

Your Friend Forever,

Hugo Quill

His mom just stood next to him not saying a word. No one has to kill themselves, He knew. But despite that Albert pulled out his phone to call the director. The least he could do was honor his friend’s last request.