Wheatley-The Invisible Boy

Daniel McKenzie, one of the tenth-grade students at one of the local high schools, was constantly in awe of stories about people becoming someone else, like actors in a movie. He knew that actors had to spend a lot of time rehearsing for the part they were going to play.  There have been numerous examples on the Internet and in reference books and magazines that described how hard it was for some actors to assume the role of a particular character.  As he researched the steps that were needed for the actors to “assume” the role of the character, he was amazed at how difficult some gestures or accents or languages were to learn. He found out that each of the “traits” had to be performed in a fluid motion to appear just like the real person.  These attributes were the “traits” of the character that made the character appear to be real.  But there was a darker side to the equation of becoming another person or assuming the character traits that made them who they were.  Daniel would discover that relinquishing or “letting go” of the learned “trait” sometimes became more difficult than first thought.

“Hi, Daniel,” said Heather as she greeted him at the stage door.  He, along with other students, were all volunteering to become actors in a new play being introduced by their teacher.  Being a Thespian or actor was one of the goals he’d jotted down in his journal that he kept at home.  For Daniel, it was important to make notes in his journal about things he’d like to do or some career he might find interesting to him.  But for now, he was satisfied with being included in the school’s drama club where he and his fellow students could become anyone they wanted to be in the plays performed at his school.  Often, many of the other high schools in the area came to perform for his school.  It wasn’t necessarily a competition but more of an exhibition where each student could demonstrate his or her skills as an actor “ Now, students, let’s gather around while I read out the character parts and the student who will be playing their role.  It wasn’t a long list of characters but it was definitely a very interesting play that each of the students would be performing in the next month or so.  

“Okay, each of you will need to research the character, make notes specifying what their main traits are and how you intend to “become that person” for our performance,” instructed their teacher who was almost as excited as they were because of the play she had selected for them to perform. 

After a short interlude that allowed the students to take a short break for refreshments or to use the restrooms, they all gathered back in the auditorium to discuss their parts and their initial thoughts regarding their transformations into becoming their characters.  One after another stood and discussed their roles and how they might use the reference materials to become their assigned character.  Heather was chosen for the role of “Cecilia Kass” while Jackie was selected for the role of “Emily Kass”.  The list of performers included all of the names that were used in the latest adaptation of “THE INVISIBLE MAN”.  “Adrian Griffin’s part who played “The Invisible Man” in the latest movie in 2020 was given to Daniel to play.  It was the title role in the play that would take him many hours to master.  The part would require him to become invisible.  That would take some doing on his part.

Over the first couple of weeks, Daniel and the rest of the cast studied to learn their lines, understand the cues from the teacher, and learn how to improvise with only a few props available to them.  The scenes were difficult and the actors had to teach the audience to see and hear what they were unable to see and hear.  It was assumed that the students who would attend each performance already knew the story plot and minor changes in the stage’s props wouldn’t interfere with them following the performance from scene to scene.  

“How’s that part working out for you, Daniel?” asked Heather as she smiled and touched Daniel on his cheek.  “I can still see you,” she added and laughed.  “You know this is the Invisible Man play so you have to, well, become invisible, right?” she quizzed and walked away.

“Oh, you’re really funny!  And just how am I supposed to become invisible?” asked Daniel as he watched Heather walk toward the stage drapes, pull them aside, and disappear behind them.

Wheatly Smith, another student at the high school, was one of Daniel’s best friends as well as an excellent chemistry student.  Wheatley was known for his exotic potions and elixirs that he concocted during his class periods.  It was rumored that he was perhaps the best chemistry student that had ever attended the school, but he never agreed with the assumption.  Daniel had an idea that he wanted to talk to Wheatley about, but he had to be sure that no one, not even Wheatley’s parents would know what the discussion would be about.  Daniel was positive that his friend would help him with the part of becoming the Invisible Man for the play.

After several phone calls, Daniel set up a meeting with Wheatley to talk about his part of becoming invisible. He didn’t know that his friend would go along, but there was always a chance that he might find the challenge something that would interest him. 

“So what you’re asking me to do is to come up with some type of potion, like a “witch’s brew” that would cause you to become invisible,” stated Wheatley as his eyes glazed over with excitement.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I want you to do!  Can you do it? Will you do it? And, if you do come up with something that works, what would be the chances that I’d remain invisible for a period of time?

As Wheatley pondered the possibility of perpetual, permanent invisibility, his mind worked it miracles and his imagination drew pictures in him mind as to which chemicals would be used and in what amounts.  “Eureka! I have it!” he shouted as he raised his pencil from the paper he was writing the formula on.

The two met several times over the next week to determine when it would be the best time for Daniel to drink the formula that would make him invisible.  It had to be after the first, perhaps even after the second scene because once he drank the potion, he would become invisible, or that was his hope.

“I see you have it ready,” said Daniel he took the small vile from his friend’s hand, and held it up to look at it.  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I’m going to be the first person ever to become invisible.  Now, there’s just one question, do you have the antidote?” he asked as he lowered the potion and looked at his friend.

“Well, I have something that I “feel” will work.  It’s a trial-and-error exercise.  I mean I gave a small portion of the potion to my dog, Excelsior.  He vanished, but after I gave his a sip of the antidote, he reappeared.  Right now, he’s phasing in and out between visible and invisible.  I’ve come to the conclusion that the phasing will stop in a couple of days.

“Okay, that works for me,” said Daniel as he took the vial and placed in his jacket’s pocket.  “The play is this weekend and you better be there with the antidote!” exclaimed Daniel as he walked toward the door, opened it, walked through it, and closed it behind him.

“Ah, well, I hope it works!” called out Wheatley as he took his seat and waited for the chemistry students to assemble for class.

“I hope it works,” he whispered as he lowered his head.

The day of the play arrived with all the hype and excitement that was expected for a famous play named “The Invisible Man”.  It was a one-time shot for stardom for the lead players as they whispered their lines over and over again before the curtain call.

“I see that you’re still around,” said Heather as she leaned over and touched Daniel on his arm. “Yep, still here!” she said and walked toward her spot on the stage where she would be standing when the curtain went up.

The curtain went up and the lines were delivered with precision.  Acts one and two were now in the history books and there were smiles all around.  Act three was a very important, head-turning part of the play.  It was the scene when Daniel would drink the potion and see if his friend was the genius he thought he was.

Having watched the curtain go up, Daniel and Heather recited their lines and were true to their characters.  Then, it was Daniel’s part in the scene where he was to take the potion.  Slowly he took the potion from his jacket pocket, uncorked the top, tilted his head back, and drank all of the liquid down in one gulp.  For the first moment or so, nothing happened, but slowly, as expected, his hands began to fade right in front of his eyes.  Then, his arms disappeared, then his face disappeared leaving his clothes standing on the stage.  It had worked.

It’s been three months since the play.  Daniel and his friend Wheatley still have no idea why the antidote doesn’t work.  It’s not for the lack of trying, but Wheatley hasn’t come up with the exact solution for the ingredients.  Daniel has resigned himself to a life of invisibility but it’s not anyone’s fault.  Fortunately, for Wheatley’s dog Excelsior, he finally stopped phasing in and out.  Daniel is often seen standing by the stage door outside of the building.  He wears the same clothes from time to time that he wears on the day he actually becomes the character.