Chapter 44: Curtains

I found her in the dark, in the basement, this time with no music playing. All was quiet. I made my way over to her bedside and found her sleeping. Above her bed was a basement window, covered with a heavy blanket that blocked out all light. I stood up and unhooked the corner of it from the nail that held it in place. It fell away and light spilled into the room.

Then I sat down beside her again. I put my hand on her leg. Her eyes opened, squinting at me. She lifted her right hand to shield them.

"Ant?" she said, in a thin, croaky voice.

"Wake up, wake up. You've changed the world, my friend."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

She rubbed her eyes, sneering at the dusty sunbeam that violated her artificial night.

"The movie's out."

"What movie?"

"Charlotte's Movie."

"It is?"

"It is. It's all over the world. Haven't you been watching the news?"

"I haven't been out of this bed. What the hell is going on?"

"You've changed the world, my dear. That's what's going on."

"Changed the world? How?"

"Someone got a hold of a copy of the movie and uploaded it to the Net. Within a matter of days it's spread all over the world. It's changing people's lives, She. You wouldn't believe it if I told you. I don't believe it myself, but it's really happening."

"What? What's happening? I don't know what you're saying?"

"The movie is out, Sheila! It's all over the fucking world! It's everywhere! Last I heard, it's been translated into nine different languages. Wake up, wake up! The world's changed because of you. Kids are talking about true love and just being themselves and not caring what other people think anymore, and just being naked, and true, and honest, and finding meaning in love. And it's all because of you."

"This is some kind of joke. I don't believe you."

"I just came from the Lawsen's. Ron's talking about offering you a job as a director for Lawsen Publications. Maybe not in porn, but I think he's been wanting to branch out into legitimate film anyway. He says he's been considering for a while. Then, when he saw your movie, he says you inspired him to go for it once and for all."

"If you're yanking my chain, I'm gonna kill you, Ant."

"He wants me to write a script, Sheila, and he wants you to direct. He's even gonna pay us the standard market salaries! For you that's about $250,000!"

Sheila's voice choked.

"Anthony don't fuck around with me! That's cruel!"

"I'm not! You need to get upstairs and turn on the news! Open up these god damn curtains of yours and let the world in again!"

"You're really serious!"

I nodded. She sat up and hugged her knees, shaking a bit. She sat like that for the longest time. She was crying. I was so happy for her I wanted to cry too.

"You have no idea what this means to me," she said.

"About the same as it means to me, Sheila."

"No. It means more to me. Way more."

"How come? What's up?"

She looked up at me. Her eyes were weary, aged beyond her years.

"You really wanna know?"

I nodded, wanting to hug her. But she seemed like she was afraid to touch me.

"I got an email a few days ago, from a friend of mine, Ralph, from New Zealand. We belong to an amateur film makers group online. We've been friends for a few years now. He told me the movie was out. He told me to brace myself because shit's gonna hit the fan in a big way."

"How'd he know it was your movie, Sheila?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. Suddenly I realized the whole truth. Suddenly I understood the weariness in her eyes.

"Because I was the one who sent it to him," she said. "I'm sorry, Anthony. I shouldn't have done it. I've made a mess of everything, I've destroyed all our lives. But I just had to share it with at least one person, someone who understands the full extent of what I made. I poured my whole heart into it. I just had to share it. It was like sharing myself with someone who really understood, who wasn't so wrapped up in their own problems, they couldn't see the big picture. But it was selfish and thoughtless. I'm so sorry."