The Dark Muses Price

The Director

 The Director first saw him in the studio. He must have been one of the extras, in fact, she might have completely overlooked him if she hadn't needed a last-minute fill in for the host of her usual Horror program and she hadn't heard him speak a whisper through the trees that gave her delightful chill. Also, his appearance was unnerving, he was so skinny, his bones poked out of his skin in places, his hair was silver and there was something unsettling about his eyes. "You, fill in for the grotesque ghoul," she said sharply practically dragging him in front of the camera.

He seemed nervous at first and the Director thought she was going to have to do several takes but to her surprise, the boy smiled mysteriously and delivered his lines with an edge of playful menace and a hint of sexuality. She couldn't take her eyes off him, there was a strange kind of allure, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Cut, okay kid, dial it back our audience is mostly men," she advised "But otherwise that was tubular," she admitted. "You do any acting?" she asked

"Most of my life," the boy said in an odd tone. Maybe he was trying to make a joke but she couldn't tell.......................

"How would you like being the host?" she asked after they were done.

"I couldn't do that to the grotesque ghoul." The boy shook his head.

"I was thinking more two hosts," the Director stated.

"Ciar! Mrs. Grimm, I'm terribly sorry my nephew is a bit of a handful." Billy Kranston, one of the screenwriters, stammered.

"This is your relative?" the Director asked. "Can you get me his parents on the line?"

"He wasn't causing any trouble," Billy blanched.

"No, I want to offer him a job," she responded.

"Sorry, his mother she... doesn't like him in front of the camera," Billy said.

"Let me talk to her." the Director insisted, she was pretty sure she could persuade the mother. What woman wouldn't want her son to be a star?

"You don't know his mom, I better get my nephew home." Billy started to steer Ciar away, he looked back at the director.

"Goodbye, it was nice meeting you". he said softly..........................................................................

The Director turned to her secretary. "Could you do me a favor and look up Billy Kranston's sister?" she asked.

"He doesn't have any siblings." The Director thanks her and left anger building in her. He lied! Then confusion filled why did he lie? Who was that boy really?.........................................................................................................................

She stood outside the door to Billy's one-room apartment she was about to knock when she heard yelling.

The Director knocked on the door firmly, something was definitely going on.

She waited a minute and then the door creaked open to reveal Ciar the zombie t-shirt he wore was hanging off one of his bony shoulders, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth then vanished as quickly as it came. "Mr. Kranston, I know you're in there are you going to continue to behave in an unprofessional manner or confront me like a man?" the Director demanded.

"Ciar, invite her inside." The silver-haired boy inclined his head and motioned her into the small apartment. The Director sat on the couch trying not to focus on how little room there was between her and the walls.

"Ciar is not your nephew why did you lie to me Mr. Kranston?" she demanded.

"Told you she'd find out," Ciar said in a sing-song voice sitting down beside her the tv was set to low volume in the background.