Chapter 1 - 1

“The Best Ticket Out”
Written by Adrian Sheppard

Author’s Note: This is my first real attempt at Michael Jackson Fan Fiction. Anyway, in this story, a girl’s lifelong dream finally comes true when she realizes she is on her way to meet her favourite superstar, Michael Jackson!

CHAPTER 1

        Natalie sat all alone in her bedroom. She was seventeen years old and had just left school. She was bored and couldn’t even find a job. But it wasn’t only that; she was feeling frustrated because her parents were old-fashioned and strict and would not always allow her to do whatever she wanted, or go wherever she wanted to go.
        
She lay back on the bed and stared at pictures of her favourite singer Michael Jackson that decorated the walls of her room. On the dresser next to her bed there were photographs and drawings of him stuck on the mirror.

Ever since she was three years old, Natalie always dreamed of meeting Michael Jackson and marrying him. She had most of his CDs, which a relative of hers had bought for her for her twelfth birthday. She loved Michael’s music and would dance and sing along with them day in, day out.

Of course, both Natalie’s parents did not like Michael Jackson. They labelled him as a ‘child molester’ and a born ‘lunatic’ and even during the singer’s child molestation trial back in 2005, they wished that he were in jail. They even made all kinds of cruel jokes about him and that made Natalie cry, just to think about those foolish remarks. Deep down inside, she knew very well that Michael was always innocent and he was never a criminal.

Little did Natalie know, her luck was about to change when one day, an organization in a suburb of Port of Spain, where she lived, was hosting a three-day Michael Jackson Fan Event in the Queen’s Park Savannah. Natalie was greatly elated on hearing this, for she had many friends who were also fans of Michael Jackson. But it wasn’t only that, she was going to meet other fans as well.

Natalie decided to call one of her friends Monica. Monica was two years older than she was, but they had always been friends since they went to school together. She couldn’t wait to break the news to her.
“Hello Monica.” Natalie replied.
“Hello there, Natalie, what’s up?” Monica replied.
“Haven’t you heard?” Natalie said, “There will be a three-day Michael Jackson Fan Event in the Savannah, starting next week.”
“Ah, yeah, I heard it on the radio just a while ago and up to now I can’t even contain my excitement.” Monica laughed.
“Neither do I.” Natalie said, “Anyway, at the event, they will have Michael Jackson impersonators…”
“You mean, like, people dressing up like Michael Jackson and singing and dancing like him?” Monica asked eagerly.
“Exactly.” Natalie answered.
“Great! I want to take part in that!” Monica exclaimed.
“Yes, anyone can.” Natalie informed her. She went on, “Not only that, there will also be a competition.”
“Wow!” Monica exclaimed in a low tone. She asked, “What’s the competition all about?”
“Nothing too extravagant or anything complicated. One contestant will spin a wheel and will win his way up on the stage. The host will ask a question about Michael Jackson and his music. Whoever wins, will get airline tickets for two friends to see Michael Jackson himself in person at his Neverland Ranch!” Natalie, herself excited, explained.

        Now Monica was really excited. “Oh I can’t wait for that day!”
“Me neither.” Natalie said to her, “I’ll be there.”
“Sure, I’ll be there too.” Monica promised.

        Natalie couldn’t wait for that Michael Jackson Fan Event to come. She was so excited that she put on her Michael Jackson “Off the Wall” CD and turned the volume way up high. She was so hysterical that she was unaware of the sudden presence of both her mother and father.
“What the hell is going on here?” her father questioned.
“Why is that music so loud?” her mother added.
Natalie froze. Quickly she turned the music down and stood up facing her parents. In her mind, she was searching for a way to answer them, for she remembered that none of her parents liked Michael Jackson.
“Nothing. I was just listening to my music.” Natalie replied.
“With that volume so high?” her father said. He added, “And you haven’t even cleaned your room up to now?”
“All she does is listen to all that junk she is playing on the radio.” Her mother chimed in, “One of these days, if she don’t look out, I am going to take that radio away from her.”

        Natalie’s excitement suddenly faded away. It felt like a huge flood had come and swept away her hopes of meeting her idol in person. However, Natalie tried to console herself with the fact that she would still have the chance to meet the King of Pop himself.
Immediately, she gathered her vacuum, her broom, mop and pail and set out to clean her bedroom.

        One week passed by slowly and then finally, the long-awaited Michael Jackson Fan Event was held on the first day in the Queen’s Park Savannah. Natalie breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad the day had finally arrived.

        So just after breakfast, Natalie ran to her room and prepared her clothes and things to go to the event. While she was doing that, she heard her cell phone ringing.
When she answered, she recognized her friend Monica’s voice.
“Hi Natalie.” Monica chirped, “Are you ready for the big day?”
“Sure, I am.” Natalie said, “I was just putting out my clothes and I’m just about to jump into the shower.”
“I just stepped out of the shower.” Monica said, “ I’m just about to get dressed. I’ll come and meet you in a short while.”
“All right.” Natalie answered, “I’ll try and hurry up before you come.”
The two friends laughed at that statement.

        By now, Natalie was all ready to go. Just then, Monica pulled her car up outside Natalie’s house and blew the horn.
“I’m coming!” Natalie shouted from inside the house.

        As she was leaving, Natalie said goodbye to her parents, telling them she was spending the day with her friend. Her mother advised her that she should be back home before nightfall.

        Soon, Natalie and Monica were on their way. They left St. James and were now driving along the Western Main Road. During the journey, they played Michael Jackson’s music and had fun singing along with it. “This is going to be super, Natalie!”
Monica exclaimed and the friends gave each other a hi-five.

        By the time Monica and Natalie arrived at the Savannah, the Michael Jackson Fan Event was in full swing and many enthusiastic fans turned up in their numbers. The deejay was playing “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”.

        A man and a woman, who dressed up just like the King of Pop, welcomed Monica and Natalie to the event. “I feel honoured!” Natalie remarked.
The two friends followed the couple to the stall where there were various King of Pop stuffed toys and knick-knacks for children and grown-ups.

        Natalie and Monica went wild with fascination when they toured the merchandise stall. “Oh, do you see this, Monica?” Natalie told her as they both looked at a life-sized Michael Jackson stuffed toy. “Yes, that thing is sooo sweeeet!” Monica exclaimed, “Wish it was mine.” She fantasized.
“I think it’s a little expensive.” Natalie thought.
“You sure?” Monica smiled.
“I don’t know.” Natalie shrugged.
“Well,” Monica suggested, “The best thing to do is find out.” She gestured to her and made her laugh out loud.

        There were four people running the merchandise stall. One of them was watching a DVD that showed Michael Jackson’s video “Beat It”. A girl came to them and said in a very friendly way, “Can I help you two?”
“Yes.” Monica answered, “I’d like to find out the price of one of those life-sized Michael Jackson stuffed toys.”
“Ah yes.” the girl smiled, “Thirty dollars for a life-sized stuffed toy and fifteen dollars for the smaller stuffed toy.”
        “Can I have one, please?” Monica said to the girl.
Natalie whispered into her ear, “Girl, why you don’t let me have the big one? You take the small one, nah.”
“All right, Natalie. You can have the big one, I’ll settle for the small one. Is no big thing.” Monica smiled childishly.

        After they had paid for their Michael Jackson stuffed toys, they were soon out of the stall.

        For a moment, they were standing outside with their stuffed toys in their arms.
“Hey, Monica, want to go on the Ferris wheel over there?” Natalie told her, pointing to the Ferris wheel not too far away from where they stood.
“Why not?” Monica chuckled, “Let’s go.” The two girls walked up to the man who was in charge of the Ferris wheel. They paid him ten dollars for the ride and soon they found seats next to each other on the huge wheel.

        Gradually, the big Ferris wheel began to spin. The faster it went, the more excited Monica and Natalie became. “Oh, this is really fantastic!” Monica chorused.
“I’m enjoying this!” Natalie said, “The people who organized this must have really put lots of effort to it.”

        Natalie and Monica spent most of the first day at the Michael Jackson Fan Event. The atmosphere made them feel that Michael Jackson was really there. Of course, there were various games to play and lots of food to eat. Natalie and Monica met and spent time with other Michael Jackson fans, some of whom had come from abroad.

        On the second day, Monica and Natalie returned to the Michael Jackson Fan Event and it proved to be an interesting one. There was a little short story segment in one of the stalls.

        “Hey, you know something, Natalie?” Monica said.
“What is that?” Natalie queried.
“Over there in that tent, there’s a short story segment.” Monica told her.
“Impressive.” Natalie remarked.

        They went over to the tent where there was a little crowd gathering. Several people who had written their short stories and poetry about the King of Pop, were submitting their works to be published in book form for a Michael Jackson Fan Site based in the United States.

        Natalie soon remembered that she once wrote a story about Michael and always said she wished to get it published some day.
“Natalie, you remember you wrote a story about Michael Jackson….” Monica started.
“Yes, yes, I remember, Monica.” Natalie chimed in, “I am so glad I walk with my story that I so long wanted to get published.”
“Well, what you waiting on? Christmas?” Monica teased, “This is your opportunity.”
“Thank you.” Natalie chorused as she ran forward to join the queue.

        When she was next in line to be served, Natalie delved into her bag and drew out a paper on which she wrote her short story about Michael Jackson.
“Hello.” she said to the man who was in charge of the submissions of people’s short stories and poems. She continued, “I have a story here I’ve written a few years ago. I never got the chance to get it published.”
“Very brilliant.” the man remarked as he read Natalie’s writing. He went on, “Well, I’m happy to say that this is your chance to get your work published for a Fan Club in the US.”
“Thank you, mister.” Natalie smiled. Indeed, it was the first time in her life that she was going to get her story published.

        Then later in the day, the long awaited moment had come. It was a concert, featuring several acts who would be impersonating Michael Jackson and imitating his most famous dance moves, including the Moonwalk.

        “Come on, Monica.” Natalie urged her, “The concert has started.” Both girls eagerly joined the audience as the concert got into full swing. There were sixteen Michael Jackson impersonators and they performed the singer’s dance moves while lip-synching “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, “Billie Jean”, “Beat It”, “Bad”, “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Smooth Criminal”. The audience went absolutely wild with every performance.

        In another part of the show, the MC invited interested persons in the audience to get on the stage and perform Michael’s dance moves. Monica was one of the interested persons to go up on stage. As she was going up, she urged Natalie to come up with her. At first, Natalie refused, but feeling that she might get an even greater chance of getting to meet Michael Jackson in person, she eventually went up.

        Monica and Natalie had a great deal of fun on the stage with the Michael Jackson impersonators. The crowd cheered on. The concert went on until six o’clock in the evening.

        The final day of the Michael Jackson Fan Event was going to be even more exciting than before. There was going to be another concert with more Michael Jackson impersonations, along with drama acts and even some music instrumentals. But not only that; there was going to be a trivia competition at the end of the concert. Contestants would be asked questions about Michael Jackson and his musical career and winners would be given airline tickets to see Michael Jackson in person at his Neverland Ranch.

        It was the moment that Natalie and Monica had been waiting for all the time. Everyone gathered near the stage as the MC informed them about the competition, which was to take place. They were all excited, for most of them knew about their favourite singer. Some of the fans, like Natalie and Monica, had high hopes of meeting with the King of Pop.

        Now the competition started when the MC began the trivia. Several participants went up on the stage and eagerly answered the many questions the MC asked them. Some answered fluently and others fumbled miserably and lost out!

        Natalie soon found her way up on the stage. The MC remarked that she seemed very excited about going to Neverland and she responded positively with two thumbs up. There was great silence and then the MC began to ask her, “Now Natalie. Michael Jackson has won eight Grammy awards for which one of his albums? Is it (a) “Off the Wall”, (b) “Thriller”, (c) “Bad” or is it (d) “Dangerous”?”

        “Come, on, Natalie, come on!” Monica, who was in the audience, urged her on. Natalie winked at her and in her mind she said, “I will make it.”
Then…out of the blue, Natalie rattled off the long awaited answer, “Michael Jackson won eight Grammy awards for his 1982 album “Thriller”.”

        The MC looked at her and said, “Natalie, you are absolutely……Right! You have won yourself airline tickets for you and a friend to fly to Neverland!”
“Thank you! Thank you!” Natalie said as she cried tears of joy, “It’s the moment I’ve been dreaming about for my whole entire life and now I’m glad it has come true!”
Monica ran up to the stage and hugged her friend. She cried excitedly, “I’m so happy for you, Natalie! I’m so glad you won!”
The girls danced off the stage as the deejay played Michael Jackson’s song “You Rock My World”.
“You and I will go to Neverland!” Natalie chorused as she held Monica.

        On their way back home, Natalie and Monica talked all about the wonderful time they had at the Michael Jackson Fan Event. But Natalie was even more excited, for her lifelong dream of meeting Michael Jackson in person had finally come true.

        “I wonder what my mother and father would say about this.” Natalie thought to herself and she cringed at the thought.
“I don’t know.” Monica said as soon as they drove up to Natalie’s house.
As she was getting out of the car with all her belongings, Natalie said, “Best thing for me to do is see what happens.”
Monica said not a word, but she simply smiled.

        Natalie and Monica met Natalie’s parents at the doorway. “What is all this?” her father asked in total bewilderment.
Natalie opened her mouth, but no words came. She was expecting him to throw her out of the house or even burn all of her Michael Jackson merchandise. But then, he said something…something that Natalie thought she’d never hear.

        “Ah, Natalie.” Her father said, very calmly, “You know, I changed my mind about Michael Jackson!”
“Is that so, Dad?” Natalie asked with her eyebrows raised.
“That’s right.” Natalie’s father said, “I like Michael Jackson after all. Even your mother likes him too! He has great music.”
“That’s incredible, Dad.” Natalie replied.
“I regret everything I said about Michael Jackson for all these years.” her father stated.

        “It’s a miracle!” Natalie and Monica both chuckled. Natalie continued, “Well, Dad, this is my friend Monica and we were just at the Michael Jackson Fan Event in the Savannah and these are all the items I got. I even won airline tickets to go to see Michael Jackson in person in Neverland.”

        “Well, well.” Natalie’s father replied, “I am very proud of you, Natalie. I am sure your mother would not believe it when she hears it.”
“Dad.” Natalie stated, “It’s the best ticket out.”

The End

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