The Last Shot - PG - Champagne Challenge #135

[Lilly]

This is my response to the Champagne Challenge #135 -- 250 words of dialogue.

Disclaimer: I don't own the world of Moonlight or its inhabitants, but I like to think of it was my home away from home. No copyright infringement is ever intended.


The Last Shot

"Renee! Where have you been? I've been covering for you all morning. You never came home -- I didn't know if you were going to make the shoot or not... Are you OK?"

"I've never felt better."

"Well, you've looked better."

"Come on -- we all look like this before the stylists work the lie."

"These late nights -- they aren't good for you, honey. I know, I know -- you're a big girl. But you've never stayed out all night before a job before. Nigel is about to -"

"Oh, please. Nigel is yesterday's news. And, you're wrong -- these late nights are very good for me."

"What's gotten into you? Is this about a guy? You've always been so focused -- you've said a hundred times, 'career comes first,' at least until you break through. Remember?"

"I know what I'm doing- "

"I'm not so sure..."

"-but I did meet someone. And he's amazing. His name is Calvin..."

"Well, unless his last name is 'Klein,' he's not going to help you get anywhere in this business."

"That doesn't matter anymore. I'm done. I'm so much more than -- this. From now on, I make my own destiny. I can do anything."

"You're not making sense. Renee, look, I don't know what this guy is selling you -- but you need to pull yourself together. Hey, are you listening to me?"

"Don't worry, sweetie. You'll be out of my shadow soon enough. I'm through with this illusion. Nigel Hart is about to snap the last shot of Renee Beresford."

[francis]

Wow, B.C. really brought everything to the foreground that you wouldn't want to say in public. Renee was all about being something special, having a career. So this is what came out when Calvin gave her B.C. - it just didn't work out. How sad if this were her last words to her friend.

[jen]

Lilly

This is wonderful!

So many of these brief conversations have given us a peek at moments in the series that truly needed a bit of fleshing out and this is no exception.

Poor Renee, she didn't realize those were the last few moments of her life. The very thing she thought gave her a glimpse of a dazzling future ahead wound up being the very thing that took it all away. Sounds a little like...Mick, huh?

Thanks!

Jenna

[maggatha3]

Nigel Hart is about to snap the last shot of Renee Beresford."

Wonderful dialogue, Lilly! Renee's attitude reminded me of Beth, high on BC.

[allegrita]

Oh, Lilly--this is AWESOME. It feels like a page torn from the screenplay!

I can just feel Renee here. She's as high as a kite, and she feels like she can do anything. Anything at all. She's "feeling every molecule," and in that state, the life of a fashion model must seem ridiculously petty and insignificant to her. She just knows that could do anything she wants, and she believes that Calvin will help her achieve it. (Note that Lola's not even on her radar...poor thing!)

I remember on the show, her friend said that she was going to quit... and she was obviously completely bewildered by Renee's changed mental state. I love the way the friend's words describe what Renee was like before she took B.C.... driven, smart, and very careful to do everything right so she would continue her rise in the modeling world. For her to be willing to just dump the whole thing?! Well, that's one powerful drug. But we already knew that, because we saw what it did to Beth.

Once again, you've captured the personalities of these characters in a way that makes them just shine out from the words you've written. I'm thrilled to see a new piece from you!

ETA: I can't believe I forgot to mention that this line:

"Well, unless his last name is 'Klein,' he's not going to help you get anywhere in this business."

made me choke on my coffee. I loved it!

[Lilly]

Thank you all!

francis -- I think Renee may have been very career minded, but the glow of that once-bright spotlight dimmed greatly in the face of all she was feeling from the BC. The rush of being front and center was no match for the "high" that drug afforded her.

jen -- I really appreciate your comment. And your summary of the irony in the situation is so very apt.

maggatha - Thank you so much for your kind words.

Alle -- Thank you! I'm so glad you liked the "Klein" line. But, seriously, your comment is lovely and it means the world to me.

[SharonC]

Oooo Lilly loving this and that last line is very powerful. Imagine that being played out it would be like a dum dum dum moment as you watched the next few minutes.

Renee, riding high and then going that few feet too high and life being cut from under you. But what a high she had the night before.

[librarian_7]

This is just chilling. And wonderful. That drug could have been cocaine, or ecstasy, or...whatever. But it was BC, and it turned out to be deadly.

Beautiful glimpse into a conversation--that as with so many of these--MUST have happened.

Brava!

Lucky

[Marigold]

We saw very little of Renee in the show, so it is great to see a bit more of her. Her words are unintentionally prophetic. Renee was seduced by the drug, the feeling, the man... little did she know that that would in fact be her last shot.

Thank you, Lilly! This was a great answer to the challenge!

[Shadow]

I love seeing minor characters pulled out of the shadows . . . and what a perfect depiction of some of Renee's last moments. It's so sad and frightening, seeing her elation and knowing not only that it isn't based in anything real, but that it's going to destroy her. But her "high" is still almost infectious! Just lovely.

[cassysj]

It is wonderful to give such life to a minor character. This is fantastic and Lucky is right the drug could have been B.C. Cocaine, etc.

It jumps off the page with life.

[Luxe de Luxe]

Famous last words. Yup. Beware the hasty, grandiose self-statement, I always say. I love anything that sheds light on B.C. and its effects/consequences etc. Thanks, Lilly.

[Lilly]

Thank you ALL so very much for your wonderful comments here. I appreciate each and every one of them.

[MoonShadow]

I love, absolutely love, episode stretchers. Filling in those nasty commercial gaps
I also love reading your work!

well done

[cassysj]

This story always amazes me. Such a minor character has such a vivid life in your hands