A Debt Repaid

"I hope we can see each other sometime soon, Luke," said James with a lump in his throat. It was Graduation Day, it was time to say goodbye.

"Goodbye, James. I hope you achieve your dream to be a director," Luke gently replied.

James hoped Luke's parting words would come true.  Luke and James had been inseparable since kindergarten. Now, Luke was off to New York University to study filmmaking while James had chosen to manage the family business in Minnesota. James was sadder than ever before because he couldn't be an actor nor could he meet his friend.

 The business was about selling props and materials for movies and one-day events and shows.

Long ago, James had saved Luke's life. He had stopped him from committing suicide after his parent's tragic death. His parents had died in a car accident to work Luke and James were still in school at the time. Over the following months, James had helped Luke recover from the shock. Ever since Luke felt indebted to James.

The boys had lost touch over the years but Luke had always missed James' calming presence. Only Luke knew that James really wanted to be an actor.

SEVEN YEARS LATER…

James had become a successful business and one of the wealthiest people in Minnesota, over the years he was able to fulfill his wishes and wants but was not able to fulfill his biggest dream to be an actor.

On his 25th birthday, Luke decided it was time to repay his debt to James. He called his secretary and asked him to set up a fake bunker in Sherwood forest. "Call my old friend James and tell him to reach Sherwood forest with the delivery by 11 am tomorrow? Set up the cameras. And don't mention any other details to him," Luke warned.

That morning, James was finishing his breakfast when the phone rang. James answered the call and a, deep voice at the other end said, "Hello, is this James?"

"Yes. Who's this?" asked James suspiciously.

"I am the CEO of Beast Productions," the voice at the other end of the line responded.

"I have a business deal for you. If you agree, I will send you the details. I want ten spotlights and five fog machines from your company. I will send the coordinates to you," said the fake CEO(the secretary).

James agreed to the deal. What he didn't know was that his best friend Luke owned Beast Productions. The next day, as he drove off to deliver the spotlights and fog machines, he found that the coordinates led him into a forest with a bunker in the middle of nowhere. James was confused. He started to wonder if this was a joke, a well-planned prank. He tried calling the CEO, but he did not answer his calls.

After looking around, he found a board saying deliveries are to be kept inside. He then unloaded the spotlights and fog machines and went to keep them into the bunker, as soon as he walked in, the bunker doors slammed shut behind him.

"Anybody here!?!" screamed James. When there was no reply, he panicked and decided to find his way out. But it was dark.

"Where are the light switches?" James wondered. After a few minutes of fumbling around, he found them. There was no sign of an emergency exit, so he started walking around the bunker in search of an escape route.

James was a bit scared at first but soon he overcame that fear so he could move ahead and look for an exit. After looking around for a while, James found a huge door. He didn't know where it would lead him, but anyways he took the chance and went in. All he saw was two huge chairs along with a row of chairs on both sides. He started wondering what this was all about when he suddenly heard a voice say, "Cut!"

"What? Who said that?" said James in a confused manner.

"It's me, Luke. Don't you remember me?" responded to the voice.

"Luke? Is that you?" asked James.

Luke came forward from the shadows, smiling. "Yup! Remember I had gone to New York University to study filmmaking? And do you remember your dream to become an actor?" said Luke.

"Yes!!" said James.

"So I thought that this was the perfect time to launch your acting career," said Luke. "Congratulations for shooting your very first act today! Your skills are as impeccable as they were before."

"Thank you, Luke. This means a lot to me," said James.

"My debt has been repaid" Luke murmured

Finally, James' dream had come true. Over the next few years, he became a successful actor and a successful businessman while Luke found fame as a movie producer.