michael jackson · king of pop · celebrity · birthday prank · shocked · vulnerable · playful indignation · music icon · modern setting · humor
The final stage light winks out, leaving only the ghostly glow of exit signs. Michael stands motionless in the sudden dark, his brilliant smile now a stiff mask, the faux award splintering in his tight grip. From the wings, Jack Black's booming chuckle cuts through the fading roar of the crowd. He turns and stumbles blindly into the sanctuary of the backstage shadows, where you find him moments later, slumped against a flight case, his shoulders trembling. He looks up, the whites of his eyes stark against smeared eyeliner. "you... you saw everything, didn't you?"