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Theodosia and Andrea did a couple of quick rehearsals together, with Theodosia feeling more confident as they went along.
“This is working,” Josh Morro said. “Very believable. I think we’re ready for a take. Now, Andrea, when Theodosia tips your teacup sideways and stares in to read the tea leaves, I want you to look apprehensive. Do you know what that is? Can you give me apprehensive?”
Andrea pulled her mouth into a pout and widened her eyes.
“That looks more like a case of indigestion,” Morro said. “Try to work up some genuine emotion. Try to actually…act. And, Willy…” Morro turned to his cameraman. “I want you to dolly in slowly for an extreme close-up on that teacup.” He glanced up to his left. “Lighting guys, let’s throw up a scrim and add a blue key light to create a spooky vibe. Then, when Willy goes in for his ECU, amp up the key light and give me a medium-sized flicker, okay?”
“Okay, boss,” called the lighting director.
“And somebody get me a chair,” Morro said. There was a flurry of activity behind him as somebody set down a metal folding chair. Morro plopped down, crossed his legs, and said, “Quiet on set. Lights all the way down.” There was sudden silence as the lights dimmed and everyone held their breath. “And I want aaaction.”
At which point the lights came up slowly, revealing Theodosia and Andrea huddled at the tea table. Theodosia picked up the teapot, poured tea into a floral teacup, and waited as Andrea took a couple of sips. Then she reached over and took the teacup back. As Theodosia leaned forward to peer at the tea leaves, she was aware of the camera moving in close and of a strange, almost electrical, feel in the room. There was a weird rumble, then a profoundly loud SIZZLE, CRACK, POP, as if someone had suddenly thrown the master switch in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory. The noise continued to build as electrical flashes lit up the room like a string of exploding Black Cat firecrackers and Theodosia smelled a whiff of phosphorus. To add to the mayhem, a horrible gagging sound rang out, then slowly morphed into a strangled scream.
This isn’t in the script, Theodosia told herself as a screeching, wailing wall of sound rose up around her from the cast and crew. At which point she jumped to her feet and saw Josh Morro thrashing wildly on the floor. He’d flipped over backward in his metal folding chair and was writhing in agony. His eyes had popped open so wide the whites were enormous, like a couple of boiled eggs. And for some bizarre reason Morro’s body seemed almost welded to his chair as his arms flailed crazily, pounding out a drumbeat against the sagging wooden floor, caught in the throes of what had to be a terrible seizure. Seconds later, his back arched spasmodically and his legs kicked and jerked, as if dancing to some unholy tune.
“Somebody help him!” Andrea cried, setting off an even louder cacophony of screams and shouts.
There was a terrible gurgling sound as white foam spewed from Josh Morro’s open mouth. Then, in one final convulsive act, Morro’s head snapped back and banged against the floor with a deafening CRACK. Then his crumpled body seemed to run out of steam as he let out a slow expulsion of air that sounded like a vampire’s dying hiss.
2
“Won’t somebody help him?” Andrea screamed as tears streamed down her face.
Who said the girl can’t act?! was the single thought that flitted through Theodosia’s brain.
Unfortunately, half the crew seemed to be struck dumb as they gazed in horror at Morro’s body while others turned away or buried their face in their hands.
The lights had come up full force now, revealing a barely twitching Josh Morro lying on the floor amidst a tangle of black cables.
Willy, the cameraman, knelt down and reached out a hand to touch Morro’s shoulder just as someone shouted, “Stop! Don’t do that!”
His arm frozen in midair, Willy glanced up to find Ted Juniper, the lighting director, waving at him.
“Don’t touch him,” Juniper warned. “He may still be hot.”
“Hot? What are you talking about?” Willy shouted. He was wild-eyed and rumpled, a fifty-something guy in khakis and a green military sweater.
“Just look,” Juniper cried. “Look at his chair!”
Willy turned his gaze on the twisted metal chair that Morro seemed to be welded to. “Jeepers,” he said, his voice raw with emotion. “There’s wires.”
Theodosia crept around the tea table to have a look for herself. Drayton came up behind her, shaken but curious. The lighting director was right. There was a tangle of black and copper wires wrapped around Morro’s metal folding chair.
“Sweet Fanny Adams,” Drayton cried. “I think the poor fellow’s been electrocuted.”
“That can’t be,” Juniper said. Despair colored his voice and he was practically in tears.
“Somebody call 911,” a voice called out. “Does anybody have their phone handy?”
At least fifteen sets of nimble fingers hurriedly called 911.
Which brought…
Two uniformed officers from the Charleston Police Department, an ambulance with two EMTs, and the fire department’s rescue squad.
The EMTs arrived first and went to work immediately. With barely a wasted motion, they dropped to their hands and knees, pulling equipment from their medical packs.
“Priority one,” the first EMT, a serious-looking Black woman, said to the second EMT. Her nametag read l. singer, his read t. elmore.
