Episode One: "Genetics"

[Old Zangya]

Nathaniel Redd
New York, New York

It was all about to begin.

Nathaniel stood in his dressing room, grasping the shirt he was about to put on. The final scene of his first professional play?The Kiss of Death?was about to begin. It was a tragic scene, the one described in the script; it held romance, death, and an eerie Romeo and Juliet-like ending. It seemed that he was destined for off-Broadway plays?fourteen years of acting and this was the first production he was getting paid over one-thousand dollars for. Oh well. At least he?d get to share a liplock with Marissa Wojnowski, his costar.

He exited the room, still shirtless, and walked over to the left wing. He saw Marissa already in her place, lying on the bed in the middle of the stage. She was in a pose as if she was sobbing, and yet was doing perfectly as to make sure that no noise was heard. She was dressed in a wedding dress?the scene was that her fianc? had left her immediately after the wedding and now, she needed to be comforted. But it would all end in tragedy. Nathaniel slipped on his shirt, but left it unbuttoned, as the director had instructed him to.

Slowly, the lights came up, and the sobbing began.

Nathaniel slowly walked out onto the stage, his eyes in awe at Marissa?s state. He rushed to her side and climbed on onto the bed, holding on to her while she sobbed into his shoulder.

?It?s okay,? he consoled, ?You?ll be okay.?

?No. Not until I have you.?

And so she kissed him.