Black

It is hot here. The air is dusty and thick. It is dark. I was not expecting it to be like this I wish we could have rehearsed this part. Through the darkness I can hear voices. They are not too far away I know that I need to face their direction and some how I have gotten turned around. I stifle a sneeze as I don’t want to be heard I know that would be bad and I would be reprimanded for that. I slowly and carefully as not to make anymore noise slowly turn towards the voices.
The voices I hear are high, clipped and full of drama. Even though I can’t see them I get the sense of bubble gum and 1940’s short blond feminine curls from the female voices.  The men sound just as over dramatic and they sound like they are in suits and ties.
I squint at the blackness in front of me. I can see the heaviness of the velvet and know that I may be too close. Knowing I shouldn’t I reach out towards the Velvet. I do not touch it and I am relieved. I feel like I have had too many mistakes tonight. I hope that I am in the right place.
I wait. I know that I have time.
I hear one of the blond bubble chewing voices start to sing about “Patti Cake Cookies”. Two more join her in harmony. Then a deep bass voice and a whistle. It is beautiful and but so corny that I want to laugh out loud. I know I can’t my presence here is a secret and I must be quiet. I know I have a little more time to wait.
Suddenly the first cue comes. A large crackle and a Voice over a loud speaker somewhere. “Attention students, please remain in classrooms”
I can here the rustling of the students and the exclamations of the voices that are closer to me. I hear running footsteps. I believe these steps are an arrival of the radio.
Here in the darkness my anticipation has begun to build. Loud static noises come from the radio but barely above that I can hear movement around me. A hand grips my shoulder, I feel some on lean into me hearing them breath next to my ear.
“Viv is that you?”comes the horse male whisper of Eric.
Automatically I nod I know I cannot be seen. He pushes a hard object into my shoulder. Instinctively I grab it. It’s cold and metal long and thin heavier on one end where i Can feel a small metal box with grate like slits on the un even sides. at the other end of the metal tube is a cord. I realize this must be one of the old fashioned microphones that we have been waiting for.
I can feel the air move around me as my cohorts take their places. All is quite in the dark but on the other side of the curtain I can hear the taped news report gaining volume and the gasp and tears from the bubble gum blonds.
Silence falls in front of the Black Velvet the radio is even silent I hear some small sounds from the students. There is Movement next to me.
“Boys and Girl Fellow Students” Comes Eric’s Voice. “In 1938 Orson Wells  Staged a radio play called War of the Worlds It told the story of a space invasion from Mars” I find I ma looking at my feet and I can see them. Light is coming from under the Velvet Black. It is rising. I quickly look around there are 12 of us in our Black Jeans and T-shirts each holding a n old fashioned microphone. Laura is speaking her line and I know there are three more speakers before me and our total reveal.
I Take my pose standing up right and strong holding the mic at my mouth.
“We hope that you were not frightened by our little play and beg your forgiveness if you were. All of what you heard on the radio was prerecorded by the 12 of us.”
As the next speaker takes over I look at the kids in the audience. some look like they are confused others are smiling. One young boy clings to his teacher and I feel a stab of guilt. We did scare some of them. Part of me rejoices that it worked but looking as he clings to the teacher I wish that I could return to the quite and choking black.