Writer Wednesday #15: Celebration or Event

On my blog, I am doing a new 'event' called Writer Wednesdays. I post a prompt and others(including me) write something based on that prompt.

            Jonathon Bental straightened his bowtie, then stepped out of the limousine onto the red carpet.  He looked sharp in his black and white tuxedo, a pink carnation boutonnière being the only color in his outfit.  The crowd cheered and several flashes went off as the paparazzi began snapping his picture.  He smiled, waving to the crowd.  This had always been his dream; to direct a film that the critics would rave about, one that had the potential to be a real box office hit.  ‘Frozen Silence: The Green Winter’ had been that film.  After producing and directing several independent movies in film school, Jonathon had been noticed by a big time producer at a national film festival and he had given him a chance.  Jonathon’s good fortune continued when he found out that he would be directing a horror film.  Horror had always been his favorite genre; Halloween his favorite holiday.

            He began walking down the carpet as his limo pulled away, followed by the key stars’ vehicles.  He smiled and waved, adjusted his flower.  Went through the motions.  Because although he should be happy and he was smiling, he was actually very sad.  It had been about two years since Jonathon’s best friend, Charlie Lockhart, had passed away suddenly.  No matter how good of a driver you are, wet roads are an easy danger to forget.  He had hydroplaned right off the edge of the cliff overlooking the town he and Jonathon had grown up in.  Halloween had never been the same since Charlie passed… but due to the nature of Jonathon’s film, horror, the premiere was taking place on Halloween.

            Jonathon sat in the padded theatre seat with his name on it and soon the actors and fans who had paid for passes to the premiere surrounded him.  The lights went out and they all watched in silence as the horror of ‘Frozen Silence: The Green Winter’ unfolded before them.  Afterward, many of the fans congratulated Jonathon and shook his hand.  There was a reception after, serving only the finest champagne and caviar.  Once, Jonathon had thought this was what he wanted.  But what he really wanted was Charlie to be by his side to share in this moment.  Charlie had always supported his dream, while others �" especially his parents �" had told him to be more realistic.

            He managed to slip out through the crowd and paid the limousine driver to take him back to his apartment.  From there he drove out to the cemetery.  As he climbed out of the car, there was no stereotypical fog surrounding the gravestones, or a light shining in a crypt’s window, or even the sound of an owl hooting.  The cemetery was silent and dark, the brisk autumn air nipping at Jonathon’s cheeks.  He untied his bowtie and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his dress shirt.  He began to wander through the gravestones, letting his mind wander as well.  He never could seem to find Charlie’s gravestone without getting lost.

            He remembered the last Halloween he and Charlie had trick-or-treated.  They had been sixteen, far too old, but they just loved dressing up and they loved candy even more.  Charlie had dressed up as a zombie groom, blood and guts visible through his torn tuxedo.  Ironic considering how nicely dressed his cadaver had been at the open-casket funeral.

            Jonathon took a moment to look around him at the tombstones; he had still yet to come across Charlie’s.  At least it was a nearly full moon; that helped him see where he was going.  He continued to reminisce.

He had been dressed up as a pirate, but had quickly ditched the eye patch since he had tripped several times and lost some candy when he was only using one eye.  Charlie had made fun of him.

            Jonathon finally saw a large tombstone he recognized.  He was not far from Charlie’s grave now.

            Charlie and he had ended up at the broken down 1950s Volkswagen truck in the woods that only they knew about.  Nobody really knew how long it had been there, but they had claimed it as their secret meeting place when they had first discovered it when they were ten years.  Charlie had been stuffing his face with Raisinets when he suddenly turned to Jonathon and said seriously.  “This is it… our last trick-or-treat...”  He had put another handful of candy in his mouth.  “Hey Jon… I promise, when you make your first movie, I will make it to the premiere.  No matter what is going on in my life… I’ll make it there.  You’re my best pal.”

            Jonathon sat down by the gravestone.  Charlie really had meant well.  He hadn’t intentionally lied or anything…

In his second year of film school, he had gotten the call.  Charlie had been in an accident… he was dead.  Jonathon had not known what to do; his roommate was sitting right there and he did want to cry in front of him.  So he had went to the campus gym and tried to use exercise to take his mind off it.  He had ended up falling down on the treadmill and curling up on the floor, sobbing in the fetal position.

“I did it…”  Jonathon said quietly.  He unpinned the pink carnation from his jacket and set it on the base of Charlie’s headstone.  He felt his lower lip begin to quiver and clenched his jaw, trying to fight back the tears he could feel welling up inside him.  “I wish… I wish you were still here.  I wish that… you could’ve been there.”

The city hall clock struck midnight, causing Jonathon to jump.  The breeze picked up, causing him to shiver.  “Happy Halloween.”  Charlie’s voice said from behind him and he stood quickly, spinning around, but there was no one there.  Something hanging from the tombstone caught his eye.  That hadn’t been there before, had it?  He walked over to the gravestone and grabbed it, examining it.  It was a red lanyard with a badge or pass of some sort attached to it.  He held it up in the moonlight to see it better, then dropped it in shock.  It was a pass from the ‘Frozen Silence: The Green Winter’ premiere, addressed to one Charles Lockhart.  The clock tolled for the twelfth time and all was silent.

Jonathon looked at the tombstone once more, no longer trying to fight the tears now rolling down his cheeks.  Charlie had said “I promise, when you make your first movie, I will make it to the premiere.  No matter what is going on.”  And he had kept his promise.

Author's Note

leave me some reviews? really would like some feedback on this one :)