The Actress Ellen Thompson

“Ellie dearie, turn your head just a little bit more to the left. Yes, perfect.” said Luke, who was the photographer for this photoshoot. “Now, if you would please go get changed into the second outfit we want you in, both of the major dresses for the poster. Alejandro! Please come get me when she is ready,” as Luke shouted the last line, he walked out of the room.

Ellen went to the dressing room as Mandy and Lina followed her to help her get into her outfit and change her makeup. “So glad to be almost done?” Mandy asked.

“Yeah, working on this movie has been great, and I love all the people working on it, but I would like to move on to another work where I am not just typecast as the stunningly attractive girl who happens to have brains.”

“Well, I mean, the shoe does fit, you are a stunningly attractive woman with brains, though I do get them not appreciating your actual acting abilities. At least they aren’t trying to pitch you as someone who is just a pretty face,” said Lina.

“Oh, I have definitely gotten those, though I made clear to my agent that under no circumstances would I take those roles. The role needs to have substance or at least be one where I can be proud to be an example to young women. Anyway, I guess it is time to get in the dress,” Ellen said as she side-eyed the gorgeous golden gown. It was anything but comfortable, but damn did it look great. She tried to talk the director into changes, but was told that most of the things she wanted wouldn't be possible and still keep the aesthetic they were looking for.

“Okay, now breathe in,” Mandy said, and as Ellen did, Mandy laced up the corset so she would fit into the dress. She then stepped into the floor-length dress and they laced up the back. It was smooth to the touch and felt amazing against her skin with over-the-shoulder straps on each side showing off a bit too much cleavage for her tastes. Finally, she put on the 3-inch heels that went with the dress.

“Okay, you should be all ready. Need anything before we go tell the others?” Lina asked

“Just some water, maybe a minute or two. It is always so difficult to move around and breathe in this dress. Otherwise, just tell them I will be out shortly.”

“Not a problem, here,” Mandy said as she handed Ellen a cup of water. “We will go let them know you will be out in a few minutes.”

Mandy and Lina left Ellen in her changing room. Ellen looked herself over in the mirror. She looked radiant, though perhaps a little flushed, though that was likely from the corset being tight, making her a little lightheaded. As she stood up, she became dizzy as her vision went black for a moment.

When her vision and balance returned, she found herself on the side of a theater stage. Where am I? She thought, This doesn’t look like any of the sets or stages we have. Also, who are those people on stage? As she thought this, she felt like she had to go out onto the stage with her heels loudly clicking against the floor. As she heard the short blonde woman sitting next to the only man on stage say, “Let’s all welcome your celebrity crush.”

As she reached the chairs, she stood between the people and asked, “What is going on? I don’t remember coming here, and what do you mean celebrity crush?”

“That dearie is easy to explain. You are the next contestant on this season of Harem Hotel: Missed Encounters. A show where you will compete with eight other women for the affection of your new master and a place in his harem, and I am your Host Cassandra.”

“Absolutely not, I don’t know who put you up to this farce, but you will be hearing from my agent. I am not going to be on some dating show, certainly not one with such a demeaning premise.” Ellen tried to leave but found herself rooted in place.

“Alas, it isn’t up to you or even me, really; we are all actors playing a part on this stage and your part is that of a contestant,” Cassandra stated with a tinge of lament in her voice.

“Wait a second,” Mark spoke up. “I thought you said all of the contestants were people I know at least somewhat. While I might be a fan of Ellen’s, I don’t know her and have never met her. Also, what you said about alternate realities, you really expect me to believe that with a small change, I would have had a chance with her?”

Ellen looked at the man and noted he didn’t seem as distraught as the women, but was clearly annoyed at the situation, and also seemed to know what was going on. Also, what was that about alternate realities, though? Yeah, I suppose it would have to be an alternate reality for him to have a chance with me. Ellen thought, not that she was overly vain, as the man wasn’t half bad looking, but most of the people who were attracted to her didn’t see her for herself, but rather as the characters she played on screen, or were just after her wealth. Though he did say that while he was a fan, he didn’t actually know me, I guess that is a point in his favor.

“Well, Mark, …” Cassandra began, “I didn’t say you would know the contestants personally, what I specifically said was ‘while the women will be people you are familiar with, they aren’t ones you were ever super close with’ which you are most certainly familiar with who Ellen here is even if she isn’t familiar with you. As for your second point, yes, actually, in many of the realities you pursue your creative writing instead of going into science, you end up in Hollywood and end up meeting Ellen here on set, and things go from there. Anyway, enough, we are already way over for this episode, so onto the introduction.”

Ellen felt compelled to swoon into an empty chair, and she could remember the introduction of the other three women, knowing that she now had to give a similar introduction. She sat upright and faced the empty theater and began, “Hi, my name is Ellen Thompson, though I go by Ellie to most of my friends and colleagues. I don’t know Mark at all, as this is the first time I am meeting him. I am an actress and have been since I was eleven, when I got my first big break playing the witty female sidekick in a fantasy TV show. I am 34 years old, 5’5”, 110lbs, my measurements are 32B”-22”-34”, I am straight, though I wouldn’t mind fooling around with other women, and have done so for parts before. My last sexual encounter was with my ex-boyfriend three years ago, where he tied me up, blindfolded me, and teased me by licking all over my body before finally having his way with me. I loved the loss of control, intimacy, and gentleness. Though the memory is somewhat ruined because I learned a few weeks later that my ex was cheating on me.”

Ellen could not believe the thing she had just said and how detailed she was. She realized that the other women were compelled to speak too; otherwise, why would they all give essentially the same info and in the same order, and such personal details as well? But none of the other women went into that much detail describing their sexual history, she couldn’t help but wonder why, did I?

“Alright, as we are now behind schedule, I will be speeding things up and have multiple introductions for the next two episodes,” Cassandra said in a hurry. “Mark, for the last five, we are going to be going back to your undergraduate days. These next two are individuals who knew of you and whom you knew, but you just never spent a lot of time with them specifically, even if you did ask one of them out on a date once. Alright, everyone, let's welcome our next two contestants.”