AN ULBANE- CHAPTER 3

Till now you have read that Diana is an orphan, living a harsh life with her uncle and aunt. Her friend Julie offers to help her and try her luck in the Great Stage. Will Diana be able to find new possibilities of life…

Happy reading

The next day, Julie and Diana were standing in front of a beautiful, big mansion. Bold letters inscribed on the walls told that it was the office of the Great Stage. “Oh God! Just look at this !!” Diana exclaimed. “I had the same reaction at the first time. Come you will really love the place and the work.” Julie pulled Diana’s shoulder and took her along.

A long queue full of young aspiring actors and actresses were waiting outside a door of an auditorium. “they are auditioning here.” Julie said. “But we need not wait here. The receptionist knows me. She’ll help us to be a bit earlier.”

They entered through the main gate and soon Diana found herself standing in a big, magnificent hall. There were grand sofas, beautiful paintings of actors, scenes of movies adorning the walls, antique showpieces and a melodious background music. This place was just opposite to the boring environment of her bank and stressful atmosphere of Aunt Janes’ home. At one of the corners, there was a large table, across which a charming lady was sitting. She was wearing black skirt and white shirt. Her hairs were tightly tied in a bun. The name plate in front of her informed that she was Augusta Collin, the receptionist.

“hey Augusta!” Julie greeted the lady. “Hi Julie..after such a long time..”  “Yeah..I have got a friend of mine..Diana..she needs to audition for your new play..”

“Oh..I see..I’ll ask Percy, our choreographer to audition your friend first..what’s your name?” Augusta asked Diana after taking out a paper and a pencil.

“Diana. Diana Ulbane.”

“Okay..WHAT!!”

It seemed that Diana had said something inappropriate to Augusta as she was severly taken aback. Augusta’s reaction had surprised Diana and Julie too. Augusta tried to calm herself down.. “Did you say Ulbane..” “yes..Ulbane..” Diana was not sure what was the matter with Augusta. “Wait..wait here..” And with this she hurried towards a door behind her. “What do you think has happened? What is the problem in my surname??” Diana asked Julie.

“I know as much as you do..well maybe because your surname is not a very common one..”

Augusta came back after five minutes. It seemed she had tried her best to act normal. “sorry..sorry for that..I just didn’t know what happened to me..” Augusta said as she tried to sit back on her chair. “Diana..Mr Hacklebones wants to meet you. I’ll ask Ced to take you to his office.” And with this she rang a bell on her table and within no time a young chap of around seventeen appeared. “Ced, take Miss Diana to Mr Hacklebones’s office.” “But..who is he and why does he wants to meet me?” “Uh..You don’t know who Hacklebones is? Well I see Julie your friend doesn’t have interest in theatres and all?” Diana saw Juile and realised that she was gasping at her.

“What?” Diana asked. “Mr Hacklebones.. he is the chairman of the Great Stage!” Julie said. “and he wants to meet you..you just don’t know how great your future is going to get!” “Exactly..” Augusta said.

“No..but without auditioning..” “Diana..meet him first.” She pointed towards the boy. “Ced, show her the way.” She turned towards Julie. “You should better wait here.” Reluctantly Diana followed Ced. “He’s a nice man..don’t worry.” Ced reassured Diana when they were standing in front of a door which informed that it was Mr Jerome Hacklebones’s office. The Chairman. Diana softly knocked at the door. “Come in..” a deep serious voice replied. Diana opened the door and closed it behind her. She wanted to remain close to the door. “Diana!!..what a surprise.”

A man about forty years of age came from behind the table. The room was as grand as the hall. Hacklebones was wearing a grey suit and was looking as decent as a man could be. Diana didn’t knew why but she felt she could believe the person standing in front of her. “Hello..Mr Hacklebones..actually I came here..”

“Oh I know..audition and all that..but Diana..you are the girl I was searching for so many days..” “Uh me !!” “of course you!” Mr Hacklebones looked into Diana’s eyes and as though he realised something said, “I should have guessed it. You are not aware about anything..are you?”

“Aware about what?” “Diana I knew your mother since she was a young lady. She was a few years older than me..but what a great lady..what a great actress!!” “You know my mother?” Till now, Diana had known nothing about her mother. Not even she had seen her photographs. Aunt Jane and Uncle Peter never told Diana anything despite her pleas. She had cried and moaned many nights while remembering her parents..whom she didn’t knew. “of course I knew. Eriana Ulbane. She was a very kind, beautiful woman. I had seen you in her arms once or twice and had promised her that one day her daughter will work in the Great Stage like her..and would become even great than her..”

Diana was completely lost in her thoughts. For the very first time, she got to know the name of her mother, Eriana..she could imagine a kind, beautiful lady, holding a child in her arms and singing a lullaby to her. Her eyes got filled with tears..she had never imagined in her wildest of dreams that she would end up in a place that once belonged to her mother. It seemed that Mr Hacklebones had noticed those tears. “Augusta when heard the word ‘Ulbane’..she got very exited..and came to inform me..Alas.. you were barely six months old when your parents..”

“what happened to them?” Diana knew they were dead but she wanted to know what was the reason behind it. “Car accident.” Mr Hacklebones said this while his back facing Diana. It seemed he was wiping his tears. “Never mind Diana..no one has control over the powers existing in this world..no one is aware about them..it’s better to leave things behind and move on..”

“Hmm..” “Diana..congratulations!! You are selected to play my lead.”

Diana was not expecting this. “I need to audition..” “You need to do nothing but practise well..I know you must be having your mothers’s talent in your genes. What I have to do is to control them and put them in the right direction..”

Hacklebones completed his sentence with a smile. “You  could always count on me..”

Then he handed a contact card and a practise schedule of the play to Diana. “The rehearsals are starting from the next week..I want my lead to be on time.”

Unexpected turns are taking place in Diana’s life…but will those turns take her to safe destinations?? Keep reading to find out. Fourth chapter coming next Sunday.