Here be Monsters

The bell rings midnight on the giant face clock of Big Ben. Mist and smoke engulf the dark London streets. The damsel in distress trips over. She shields her face from the terror that stalks her. The creature unveils his haunted, ghostly face, emphasised by his cape and top hat. The audience gush with terror.

A dashing hero comes from appears from behind a gas lamp

“Be gone foul creature. This is a lady of morals and virtue.”

The creature escapes into the mist.

Lon Chaney goes to the side of the stage. A stagehand gives him a white towel

“Good performance Mr Chaney” says the stagehand.

Lon steps down the rotating stairs. He stops at door with a gold star on it. Lon Chaney is written underneath in black bold writing. He steps inside the dressing room.

He pulls out a tin makeup box. He flips the latch and unveils the many compartments.

The door bangs loud.

“I’ll be out in twenty minutes.”

“Government business Mr Chaney” .

“Wether its government or not. A fan is still a fan. I’ll sign you an autograph. Give me a few minutes and I’ll slip it under the door”.

The door flies open. Two hat and suit men stand at the door.

“Mr Chaney. We’ve got a problem.” Says suit one.

The second suit slams the door.

“We’ve seen your films. I didn’t like the Phantom of the Opera, personally yet you made up for it with London after Midnight.” said Suit one.

“I think you did a good job on the great depression, yet entered world war one far too late” retorts Lon.

“Our problem at the moment is not commies or Nazis. It’s a bigger one. Monsters!” said suit two.

“Do you guys want me to do a play for J.Edgar Hoover?” said Lon.

“J.Edgar is a monster. Yet he’s not the blood sucking variety.” Said suit one.

“Are you sure about that?” said suit two.

Both men laugh.

“We are with the O.S.S. not F.B.I and that J Edgar joke is strictly OFF the record.” said suit one.

“We have information that a cabal of monsters had a meeting in Cuba on the weekend. We don’t know what they are up to”.

“Look I’ve been invited to Cuba many a times. Yet the casinos down there”!