Theater 1 “Vous si Gentil”

I went to the theater to see the play “Vous si Gentil.” The last time the production was put on years ago, the main actress went missing. I had hoped it would help me relax, to decompress. Before the show I was supposed to see the main actress at a local restaurant, only she never arrived. When she didn't show I got a sick feeling in my stomach, but I tried to ignore it. I went to go see the production, only to see that the main role was being played by a stand in. I got up to leave, hoping someone at the ticket office would have an explanation. Only they stopped me in the main hall. Turns out she wasn't missing. She had been found dead in her dressing room, the mirror and her neck broken in several places.

The police were investigating and wanted to talk to me, which makes sense since I was supposed to see her. I offered to come to the station, to tell them what information I knew. But they said it wouldn't be needed. As the conversation continued, I began to become more and more uncomfortable, until the truth dawned on me.

The show was continuing that night even with the murder investigation going on. I was at the very least someone who should be cleared of doubt, requiring more extensive questioning. But most of all, I was the only person they seemed to be talking to. A woman was dead in her dressing room, and the police didn't even seem to care.

Shortly after the conversation the police left, and the dressing room and the hall leading up to it was made off limits. I was anxious...unable to calm down. I waited till the pro-duction was over and quietly went around, talking to the people involved about the murdered woman. According to the stand in, her involvement as the main actress was something she was prepared for. In fact, it was something she expected.

In the weeks leading up to the opening night, Dahlia began to show signs of fatigue. She seemed fidgety, and would often be observed flinching at any unexplained noise. On several occasions the stand in went to try and talk to her, only to have her refuse to suggest that something was wrong. When she didn't show up for the production without explanation, most assumed that she had simply stayed home.

I talked to several other members of the production, and they all seemed to confirm this sentiment. But one in particular, a young woman who did the makeup for the production, was willing to talk to me at length. She said that she had become increasingly harder to do makeup for. Dahlia was tired and agitated, and would often show up to production in a disheveled state. Soon, the makeup would also require more complete applications, and her hair would require special attention to get it where it needed to be. This was especially strange, as the main actress was well known for her attention to how she looked. It was only during this production that she seemed to change.

Other than that, I wasn't able to gleam very much about what happened. No one saw her arrive, and no one saw anyone enter her dressing room. No one even heard a scream, or the sound of the mirror being broken with her skull several times over. No one heard a damn thing. Not a single thing.

I went home after that, despondent. At around ten, I received a text from an anonymous person. They said that evidence points to the idea that several people were involved, but they refused to identify themselves or to talk to me further about what happened. This only has helped make me more upset.

I tried to contact her family, but they were understandably unwilling to talk to me. I am…depressed. I don't know...maybe if she had come to see me at the restaurant I would noticed that something was wrong. Maybe I could have prevented her murder. God, why the hell didn't anyone stop it? How did no one see this coming? The last time this production was put on, the main actress went missing and was never heard from again. It's not just a coincidence.

Worst of all, besides some general ignorance and single text, I have been unable to find many who really care outside of her family.

The show ended that night with a standing ovation, delivered to the stand in instead of the main actress. I went home that night and struggled to sleep, just as I have for weeks. Only this time, it wasn't because of headaches or night terrors. It wasn't because of feeling sick. I didn't sleep that night. I don't want to sleep. I am afraid. Afraid that I am just going to become a victim, hunted down by whatever shadowy thing I keep seeing out of the corner of my eye. And no one will care...