Curly Fries - 300 word Flash Fiction

Here is my entry for today - 03-30-2011. I've had issues with posting to Writing.com forums in the past so I am going to post my Flash story here. Thanks.

I think I'll call it: Curly Fries


It was late at night and dead quiet, when Curly pushed past the heavy velvet drapes. He poked his head around the corner of the stage and smiled in the darkness.

The place was empty.

It was time to get to work. He had less than two hours to do his dirty work.

For a big fellah, Curly moved with the grace and determination of a ninja assassin. Quiet, but not silent, he made his way to the main lighting scaffold; the one that covered center stage.

"That pretty boy Kenny ain't gonna steal my girl. Jes' cause he's got the lead... I'll show him Phantom of the Opera..."

By flashlight, Curly determined which cables and ropes controlled and steadied which lights and curtains. He pointed it to the stage to see the cue marks that the director had taped for his student actors. He knew which one would be Kenny's. Kenny, his best friend turned cheat.

While studying his next move, Curly turned toward an unexpected noise. There in the light, crouching in the shadows---

"Holy crap! It's the Phantom for real." Curly shifted his weight too quick for the swaying platform and watched as his flashlight hit and spun after hitting the stage right before he did.

The performance had to be cancelled, pending further investigation into the accidental death of a student.

"Too bad about Curly, wonder what he was doing up there?"

"Beats me", said Kenny his eyes swollen red, "He was my best friend... now, what?" He leaned on Bill's shoulder and kissed his neck.

"Hey, not here." Bill said with a wink. "Look, there's that mangy black Maine Coon cat that's been hanging around the stage."

"Big sucker, looks more like a bear cub,” Kenny said. "And what's up with the half white face?"

(300 words)