by Laura DeLuca
Rebecca almost laughed. “I think I’ll be okay now. I feel much better.”
It was true. The constant nausea which had plagued her on and off throughout the day disappeared as quickly as it had begun. She had to assume it really was stage fright, or else she was certain there would be more lingering effects. When she stepped out onto the stage to join Justyn for their duet, she felt much more confident. In between her own scenes, she enjoyed watching Justyn’s flawless performance. He was dashing in his lace-trimmed collar and long black shirttails. The ponytail he had grown for the role was very flattering to his features. It made him look older and more distinguished, especially coupled with the top hat and walking stick. As always, he totally embraced his character and became one with it. Sometimes it was hard to believe he was from the twenty-first century at all.
Justyn was especially convincing in his current role. He had always excelled at portraying the tortured genius or the deranged serial killer, and Hyde gave him the opportunity to do both without even having the hassle of a costume change. Dr. Jekyll was desperate to save his father, who had fallen into a strange coma. He believed the division of the human psyche was the means to curing his father’s illness. When his request for a test subject is unanimously rejected, he decides to test the drug on himself. Despite the disastrous results, that scene was one of Rebecca’s favorites. Even from the sidelines, she was swept up in the excitement of the experiment. Justyn’s stunning voice sang out, filled with determination and pride as he mixed his secret formula.
“The moment has come when I must proceed.
With knowledge and science, I can’t help but succeed.
This is the time when I must cast aside all my fears.
I must put to the test what I have trusted for years.
I will not shy away from what I know to be true.
I will prove myself to them all, if it’s the last thing I do.”
As Rebecca watched the scene unfold, she suddenly felt herself shiver. For once it had nothing to do with the arousal Justyn’s angelic voice always invoked in her. The curtain beside her moved just an inch, as though someone else was trying to peek at the stage. Despite the goose bumps that rose on her flesh from the sudden gust of cold air, Rebecca wasn’t afraid. Why shouldn’t Grace Hamilton appreciate Justyn’s majestic vocals every bit as much as she did?
“He’s amazing, isn’t he?” Rebecca whispered under her breath. Again, the drape shifted, and Rebecca had the distinct feeling it was a sign of agreement.
Around her the music began to wind down, and a hush fell upon the theater. Justyn started to document the results of the trial in words that were a sort of half song with no musical accompaniment. His monologue was so consuming, his tenor so beautifully in key, that the whole audience sat in rapt attention, waiting for the change they knew was inevitable. There was a brief moment of silence as Justyn lifted a prop syringe glowing an eerie shade of crimson. He pretended to inject himself with the serum, and the only sound that could be heard from the dining area was the occasional clink of silverware against the glass plates.
After the inoculation, the music started again. Violins and flutes poured out of the surround sound system in an upbeat refrain. Justyn’s masterful expressions matched the tone of his voice perfectly when he sang. He appeared at first apprehensive, then as the drug started to take effect, slightly giddy. He laughed and stumbled drunkenly as he noted the details of his experiment in his journal while singing the words aloud. Then, quite suddenly, his countenance changed. The music deepened, becoming a bit slower, a bit darker. The silly smile vanished, and was replaced with confusion at first, and then a look of almost intolerable pain. It was an expression that was so horribly realistic, no matter how many times she saw it, Rebecca still had to stop herself from running to his side. She inadvertently lifted her hand to her fluttering heart as Justyn fell to the stage, writhing, screaming, but somehow, still managing to sing as beautifully as ever.
“What is this pain that rips me apart?
Unbearable agony tears through my heart.
Has death come to take me this night?
Is there no end to this torment in sight?”
Finally, as the verse ended, so did the seeming death throes. Justyn pulled himself to his feet, still breathing heavily. As soon as he lifted his head to peer at the audience, it was obvious he wasn’t Dr. Jekyll anymore. While he was pitching himself around on the ground, he had unbuttoned his tight collar and pulled his hair free from the ponytail. The dark waves hung down over his eyes—eyes that had lost all their tortured innocence and were now cold and calculating. The way he twisted his mouth and jutted out his chin made him look like a new man entirely, instead of an actor playing two roles. It was beyond chilling, and based on the startled gasps and the forks that were frozen midway to waiting mouths, the spectators agreed.
As Justyn began a new and much more animated verse, he lifted his arms to the sky, relishing his newfound freedom. He somehow managed to lower his voice a full octave so he even sounded like a completely different person. Gone was the sweet and delicate tenor, replaced with a deeper baritone that was just as stunning but somehow terrifying in its dark and languid tones. Even as he crooned, the backdrops changed from his lab to the brothel, and the chorus line, dressed in their skimpiest costumes, danced seductively in the background.
“There is evil inside, embracing my soul.
It is a power I cannot control.
This new lust for life I happily greet.
Edward Hyde has emerged, and he will not retreat.”
The act ended with Hyde grabbing hold of a scantily dressed Lucy and pulling her into his arms. Then the lights on the stage were extinguished, and the silent crowd suddenly burst into thunderous applause—even some of the cast was clapping. Rebecca couldn’t help but notice Steve was watching the fanfare with a frown, especially when Fernando, dressed for the next scene as the butler, clapped Justyn on the back with undisguised approval and pride. Rebecca had the distinct feeling Steve was plotting something sinister and definitely Hyde-worthy.
From that point on, Justyn scarcely had a moment out of the spotlight. Rebecca didn’t even get a chance to tell him how fabulous he was. It felt as though the show had only begun when Rebecca found herself decked out in the splendid Victorian wedding gown signaling the final act was about to begin. The dress came complete with realistic bell sleeves, an excessive bustle, and a long, flowing trail embroidered with delicate lace. The elaborate wardrobes and happy wedding guests gave the audience the illusion that it might be a happy ending after all, but for Dr. Jekyll and Emma, that wasn’t meant to be. As soon as the reverend began to recite the vows, Hyde made his final deadly appearance.
At the beginning of the scene, it was sweet and romantic. Justyn started out holding her hand, looking happy, almost ecstatic to be with his true love. Then he suddenly started to sway. Tom, in his role of John, the best man, tried to steady him, but there wasn’t anything he could do to stop the transformation. Dr. Jekyll doubles over in agony and tries to run before Emma can see him change into a monster. Justyn was supposed to head toward the back of the stage where Rebecca would pursue him and eventually become Hyde’s captive. But they should have known no opening night could ever go exactly as planned, especially when it was obvious at least half the cast was out to get them.
Just as Justyn stumbled across the stage, Steve, who was blending in with the other guests on the sidelines, stuck out his foot. It was doubtful anyone else observed the sabotage, aside from Petya, who was smirking at her husband’s side. But Rebecca was at the perfect vantage point to see the intentional attack. Unfortunately, Justyn was so wrapped up in the role he didn’t notice the danger, especially since his loose hair was dangling in front of his eyes. Before Rebecca could cry out a warning, Justyn’s foot was caught in the snare. With a grunt, he tumbled off the side of the stage. Even over the background music and the gasps from the audience, Rebecca heard the loud thump as he hit the g
round. She raised her hands to her mouth and couldn’t help but scream.
Chapter Five
“Oh my God!”
Rebecca instantly lost the British accent she had worked so hard to perfect when she cried out in shock and dismay. She was about to run to the edge of the stage, but Carmen, dressed now in an aqua-green bridesmaid’s gown, grabbed hold of her arm. Her friend pursed her lips and shook her head when Rebecca tried to pull free. Rebecca was about to demand her release when she heard Justyn’s voice.
“Emma, don’t look at me!” he cried. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”
Emma. Justyn had called her Emma, and he still used his English brogue. She realized he must be all right if he was carrying on with the performance. Rebecca was the only one on the stage who had broken character at all. She might have even ruined the whole show if Carmen hadn’t had the presence of mind to stop her. Even the lone lighting operator had caught on quickly and shifted the spotlight to follow the actors. Tom had already leapt down from the stage and went right on with his normal lines, as though nothing unusual had happened. Remarkably, his words fit the situation perfectly.
“Good heavens, Henry, are you all r—”
Before Tom could even finish the sentence, Justyn raised his head, and Tom let loose a convincing gasp. It was the evil eyes of Hyde that peered back at Tom and the rest of the wedding party with a look of pure wicked delight. His hair hung in disheveled tangles around his face, making him appear even more crazed. Tom scrambled back onto the stage, pretending to flee from the madman, with Justyn in hot pursuit. To the audience, the stunt seemed like part of the normal act. Rebecca forced herself to calm down and pick up her cue. With a desperation forged by love, Rebecca reached out her hand to Edward Hyde. With an evil laugh, Justyn grabbed her and wrapped his hands very gently around her throat. Having to feign fear in the arms of the man she trusted most was no easy task, but somehow Rebecca managed to do it convincingly.
“Touch Edward Hyde and the girl dies,” Justyn swore to the crowd that surrounded him with prop swords raised.
That put everyone back on track with their lines and in their proper locations. It was an amazing recovery. The crowd never guessed for a minute anything was amiss. A few minutes later, after Emma finally gets through to him, Dr. Jekyll begs his friend John to kill him and free him from his torment. When John is unable to complete the task, Dr. Jekyll grabs his sword and runs himself through.
As the climactic scene played out, Rebecca gasped in dismay, this time only acting, as Justyn crumbled to the floor. She ran to his side as quickly as her ruffled skirts allowed and fell to her knees beside him. With real tears slipping down her cheeks, Rebecca lifted Justyn’s head into her lap. In the audience, she heard more than one loud sniff as Justyn let his eyes slip shut and he pretended to die in her arms. Then, allowing her voice to tremble in sweet vibrato, Rebecca crooned the last soulful lines of the musical.
“Not even death can tear us apart.
You shall always be here inside my heart.
My tortured love, you are finally free.
You will always remain here beside me.”
After Justyn’s feigned death, Rebecca allowed herself to collapse with grief into Robert’s fatherly embrace. Around them the other actors wore exaggerated looks of shock and dismay. They stayed frozen that way until the lights gradually started to dim. Eventually, they went out altogether and the stage was plunged into darkness. The audience exploded into satisfied applause. While the main cast was all still huddled on the floor, the curtain slipped closed around them. Finally, Rebecca was able to go back to being her normal high-strung self, instead of having to play the part of the refined British lady.
“Justyn, are you okay?” she fretted in a whisper. “Did you get hurt?”
“Only my dignity,” he assured her, but his voice was curt. “Don’t worry about me.”
“You certainly took quite a spill there, son,” Robert observed. “But I must congratulate you on how well you handled it. Very professional.”
“Yeah, Lord Justyn,” Tom teased as he helped Justyn up from the floor. “Way to fall like a pro.”
Carmen giggled too. “I always thought you’d be the one to fall off the stage, Becca.”
Justyn rolled his eyes and brushed the dust from his black dress pants, but Rebecca knew him well enough to tell he was embarrassed and annoyed at their friendly jibes. Even worse, as they all went out to take their final bows, she noticed him flinch and rub his bad shoulder more than once. Rebecca was immediately concerned, and she wasn’t the only one. Fernando met them at their lockers after the show wrapped up, looking frazzled and sweaty in his butler’s uniform.
“Jesus, Justyn!” Fernando exclaimed. He actually twitched a little as he wiped beads of perspiration from his forehead. “You just about gave me a heart attack when you fell off that stage! You weren’t hurt, were you?”
“We warned you these kids would be nothing but trouble,” Steve interjected before Justyn had a chance to reply. “You should really reconsider your casting decisions, or your worker’s comp rates are going to go through the roof.”
Fernando narrowed his eyes. “Yes, well, accidents happen, Steve. It could have happened to anyone, and Justyn certainly recovered nicely.”
“Of course, sometimes accidents can be intentional.” Justyn gave Steve a hard stare. “Isn’t that right, Steve?”
“Is that some kind of accusation, kid?” Steve demanded.
“Now, boys, there is no reason to fight,” Petya rebuked sweetly. She walked up to Justyn and patted him on the cheek. “We must all play nice together.”
Justyn brushed her hand away in disgust and slammed his locker shut. The look in his eyes was definitely leaning more toward Hyde than Jekyll at that moment, and there wasn’t one person watching who didn’t feel the very real tension in the corridor. He didn’t say another word. Not to Fernando, whose mouth was still hanging open. Not even to Rebecca. With a shake of his head, he stomped off toward the men’s dressing rooms.
“Uh-oh. Lord Justyn is pissed,” Tom noted. “I guess that means I’ll have to watch his back the rest of the summer.”
Carmen snorted as she pulled her jeans out of her locker. “Yeah, I bet that’ll make him feel sooo much better.”
Rebecca ignored them and gathered her things. She was worried about Justyn and wanted to get dressed and out of there as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, out of the corner of her eye, she couldn’t help but notice Victoria was again engrossed in conversation with the sleazy chef. They weren’t fighting. Albert actually stopped murmuring long enough to nibble on her neck. Instead of being aroused by the seduction, Victoria wore an expression that could only be described as boredom bordering on outright loathing.
After Rebecca passed by that strange couple, she saw Steve was watching with a tight-lipped frown as his beautiful Bulgarian wife sidled up next to one of the male chorus dancers. She whispered something in his ear that made the much younger guy turn at least ten different shades of red. Rebecca shook her head. It was certainly a unique assortment of people who made up the cast of Hyde. Many of her coworkers lived by the same sort of double standards as their characters. Even Fernando and Robert, who stood chatting in the corner, kept peeking over their shoulders as though they had something to hide. Rebecca tried to tell herself she was being paranoid because of her past experiences. But she was still relieved when they were all changed and heading back to the car, despite the fact that Justyn was gloomy and quiet the whole way.
Rebecca was so exhausted she didn’t feel much like talking either. Luckily, Carmen and Tom were full of energy and chatty enough for all of them as they bounced down the now desolate streets hand in hand. It was after midnight, and unlike Atlantic City only forty minutes away, Cape May was a city that definitely did go to sleep. Only the occasional car buzzed past them on the side streets they traveled, which was nothing compared to the bumper-to-bumper traffic they had fought on their way int
o town. Even the parking lot was almost empty, with Justyn’s Mustang sitting alone in the center of the deserted graveled lot. There wasn’t another living soul in sight. It was almost as if they had entered a ghost town with the marshes stretching out for miles behind them along with the empty insurance agency next door.
“Tom, do you feel like driving home?” Justyn asked suddenly.
“Dude, seriously?” Tom asked. “Lord Justyn is going to let me drive his precious Stang? What’s the occasion?”
Justyn shrugged, which made him flinch again. “I just don’t feel like driving.”
“Well, hand over the keys!” Tom practically ripped them from Justyn’s hand. “I’ve been waiting four years to give this baby a test drive!”
“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Carmen complained, annoyed at losing Tom’s full attention. “It’s only an old clunker. I’m surprised it runs at all.”
“Are you kiddin’ me? This is a classic 1968 Mustang coupe with bucket seats, original leather interior, and a two hundred and thirty horsepower engine. It’s a totally sweet ride!”
Carmen rolled her eyes as Tom pulled open the driver’s door Justyn never bothered to lock. She slid the cracked leather seats forward so Rebecca and Justyn could climb into the back. A few seconds later, Tom peeled away with a screech of tires before the rest of them even had a chance to get their seatbelts fastened. Justyn narrowed his eyes in the backseat and made sure Tom could see it in his reflection in the rearview mirror.
“Take it easy, dude,” Justyn said sarcastically. “I’d like to make it home without the engine falling out.”
“Sorry, sorry. I’m just getting used to the stick shift, is all.”
Tom took another hard right before finally getting familiar with the steering. They headed toward the secret back entrance to Cape May that Robert had told them about, that most of the tourists weren’t aware of. After that it was a smooth ride. Tom continued to go over the selling points of the car as they drove while Carmen snorted and huffed in distaste. Normally, Justyn would have been onboard with listing all the attributes of his pride and joy, despite the pieces of rust that sprinkled down from the hood, but he was strangely quiet. Instead of talking, he leaned his head against the window and shut his eyes. Rebecca reached out her hand and gently massaged his neck. He opened his eyes to give her a half-smile.
