Gunfire splits the air one last time. Kong jerks ( Read more... )

Ann has to admit that being on the outside of the top of the Empire State Building is a little nerve-wracking ( Read more... )

When Ann hears screams out on the street, she bolts for the door. Nobody stops her -- in fact, a few of them follow behind her, more slowly.

It doesn't matter that she'll lose her job at the De Luxe. What matters is that Kong has gotten loose -- and Ann knows that, deep in her heart, though she can't explain how -- and that they'll try to hurt him ( Read more... )

The chorus girls at the De Luxe are called forty-five minutes before the curtain goes up, at eight.

Ann's late.

"What took ya so long?" asks Jean as Ann rushes in, shedding her coat ( Read more... )

The sun's out and sparkling off the ocean, and the day is shaping up to be pleasant and warm -- a good day for filming.

Ann's busy fussing with her dress, straightening it unnecessarily. "Is this one all right?"

. . . She can't do this.

She stands at the edge of the sidewalk, looking from the card to the marquee, and can't step forward. Even though it would mean work, and money, and food . . .

She can't do it. She has her pride, and her morals, and -- and she just can't. Shoving the card back into her pocket, she turns and heads down the street ( Read more... )

Ordering a drink at Happy Hour might not have been such a great idea. Ann knows she's been short on cash, but this short--?

She'll talk to Manny tomorrow. It's been two weeks since the troupe was paid. Surely there's something.

The next morning, there's something, all right ( Read more... )

For all that the days are long, full of the hurry-up-and-wait of a movie set, Ann is happier than she can remember being in a long time. Every day, she's acting, and every day, she feels like something big is coming her way, and every day, he'sWell ( Read more... )

Ann hasn't slept much lately ( Read more... )