car. At least I’m moving it out of this parking space. It’s been too long since I remembered to repark, and I can’t afford a ticket for leaving it in the same spot on the street. I’ll probably have to park six blocks away tonight, but it’s the only way to keep a car in the city without paying a small mortgage for an underground garage space.
Climbing in, I toss my purse on the passenger seat, insert the key to turn the ignition and press the gas when…
Nothing. The car doesn’t move. It tries, as indicated by the revving engine but it goes nowhere.
Throwing the door open, I lean out and sure enough, there’s a boot on my back tire.
“NO, NO, NO!” I yell and bang my hand on the dashboard, as if I can beat the offending device off the wheel. I can’t. Revving the engine again, I swear it moves even less than it did seconds before.
“Please Jesus, please let me get there. I promise Hunter isn’t really an evil vampire sent straight from hell,” I pray and take a few deep breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth. “I just want to tell him he’s talented and good at his job. That’s selfless and good, right? Please?”
I close my eyes tight and press the gas one more time.
Still nothing.
Dropping my head on the steering wheel, I take half a second to wallow in self-pity before running through my options. The subway is still closed so that’s out. I can go back to the ferry but by the time I get there, I’ll have to wait at least thirty minutes until the next one. And then when I get across the Hudson I still have to find a way to get to the convention hotel and if the subway is down over there too…
The realization hits me so hard it knocks the wind out of me.
I missed it. For the second year in a row all I have for my efforts are unused tickets, an old playbill, and shattered hopes and dreams.
Chapter Three
Celeste
One Year Later: Again
I look from the tickets posted on my corkboard down to my television.
The television I didn’t even want until Hunter Stone joined Prince of Darkness.
The television I only use to watch Hunter Stone on Prince of Darkness.
The television that interrupted Prince of Darkness to warn us about an incoming hurricane. A hurricane that isn’t scooting by us, dumping a bunch of rain. Nope. It appears this one is going to hit us head on. Now I know why its named Hurricane Chad—because this storm has douchebag written all over it.
I shake my head in disbelief. This can’t be happening and yet I’m not surprised at all.
Sighing deeply, I pull up my email on my phone and tap, not wanting to know and yet probably needing to know.
And there it is. The email I was dreading.
Dear Prince of Darkness Participant,
We have been closely monitoring Hurricane Chad for the last several days and how it may affect the Prince of Darkness convention. Our number one concern has been and always will be the safety of our participants, staff, and stars.
After speaking with weather authorities in the area as well as city officials, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone this year’s convention.
At this time, please continue to hold on to your tickets as more information on refunds or transfers will become available…
I toss my phone aside, uninterested in anything else the email has to say.
I cannot believe I have missed my chance to meet Hunter Stone for the last three years in a row. Welp, that’s it. It’s over. As his popularity goes up, so does the cost of these tickets and I can’t keep throwing cash at an event I won’t ever get to go to.
It’s official—I quit.
Chapter Four
Celeste
January in New York City is dreary at best. Not only is it typically the coldest month, you can bet any sucker it’s going to rain or snow at least half the time and win. My umbrella and old rain boots become part of the entryway décor of our apartment. Not that we have an actual entryway. But you get my drift.
Needless to say, when Carrie invited me to her engagement party in Texas, I jumped at the chance to get out of the city and enjoy some warmer temperatures. When you’re living through constant precipitation and gray clouds, mid-60s and sunny sounds wonderful. Oh, how I was mistaken. I was not anticipating