Good & Dead #1 by Jamie Wahl Page A

decided he would just say that he went home and that he hadn’t heard anything on his way by.  There was no reason for anyone to not believe him; after all, that is what every other cast member was bound to be saying.  He just had to lie really well. 
    Not my strong suit .
    Michael sighed.  That familiar panic would swell up in him, he knew.  He would start babbling.  He would give himself away.  He was going to have to try to sneak out.
    “Welcome to the Destin College Dinner Theater,” said the booming recording.
    Michael groaned.  One problem at a time . He adjusted his posture, remembering how uncomfortable he had become after an hour in a confined space on opening night, and took one last deep breath as the lights dimmed and the bells tolled.
    The show went very well.  Tom remembered his lines.  The cues were executed and responded to with perfect timing, despite the fact that things backstage could not have been worse.  The theater tends to draw people who thrive on chaos. 
    Michael jumped down off the stage and made a beeline for the doors that led to the lobby.  He had already changed out of his costume and stuffed it into his backpack.  His plan was to blend in with the theater-goers as they trickled out the front doors.
    “We did it!” Randy said excitedly as he came down the ladder from the sound booth, startling Michael.  “Perfect show!”
    “Yup,” Michael said, stepping aside for a couple of lingering patrons who were chatting as they moved toward the exit.  He planted the scythe on the thick carpet of the theater and hoped Randy wouldn’t ask about it.
    The auditorium was set up like most auditoriums were, with rising levels in the floor on the audience side.  But instead of lots of narrow risers, they had just 6 different levels, each one holding 10 tables, with an aisle down the middle for waiters and waitresses to travel without impeding anyone’s view.  The aisles on the sides were extra wide, too, to enable silent rolling carts to bring the mediocre food to the diners.  The theatre could seat up to 240 people, and they had been full tonight.
    “Amazing!” Randy said, “A full house, and a perfect show.  That never happens!”
    “Yup,” Michael said again. 
    Randy was bouncing on his heels in satisfaction.  Michael looked around him into the lobby.  There was a young cop standing at the exit.
    “Okay, don’t be mad,” Randy said.
    “What?”
    “I called the guys,” Randy said. “I know your midterms are practically over now, so you can’t use that as an excuse!”
    “I’ve got—” Michael began, but he saw the assortment of geeks that made up their Dungeons and Dragons group file in through the door behind Randy.  They all had their books and pencils ready.
    “Come on, Michael,” Randy said, joining their friends, “You don’t have anything else going on, do you?”
    Joe, James, Brian and Hope gathered around Randy, and all of them joined in the choir. 
    “I didn’t bring anything with me,” Michael said.
    “Well,” Randy said with a faux-guilty look on his face. “I sort of stole this from your place,” he said, rifling through his over-the-shoulder laptop bag and pulling out Michael’s Dungeon Master’s Guide and Player’s Handbook , as well as the folder that contained their character sheets.
    “Randy, that key was for emergencies.”
    “Emergencies like you locking yourself out for the zillionth time?” Randy asked, “I already asked Charlotte and she said she didn’t mind us using the dressing room.”
    “I really can’t,” Michael said. “I’m sorry.”
    “C’mon,” Joe said behind his thick glasses, shouldering his iPhone in his gadget holster. “We haven’t played in over a month!”
    Behind him, Michael saw the young uniformed cop accept a tray of coffee and turn past the lobby doors toward the prop room.  This might be his only chance.
    “I’m sorry, guys,” he said, pushing past James’ bulky back pack as he