Part 4: Is there no escape?
Three hours and panic time.

Carmen didn't even have to recollect the entire plot of Macbeth to realize
what may, and will happen. Nigel, or rather, Macbeth was imaginative and
brave, but stood no chance against fate.

Early evening, Mason/King Duncan retired to his guest room.

Sara came up to Carmen. "Have you signed the rrregistrry?"

What registry? Carmen wondered.

Sara left the room. Carmen followed her to a room upstairs. She overheard
Nigel and Sara talking about the Weird Sisters' prophecy. Sara was accusing
Nigel of cowardice and fickleness.

"Ahem." Carmen coughed. Sara and Nigel turned toward her.

Nigel tried to divert the conversation. "What brings you to Scotland-"

Carmen cut him off. "You really shouldn't commit murder. Just think, it will
eventually catch up with you."

Sara looked on defiantly. "How do you know?"

"And you, Lady, will suffer from it more than your husband. In sleepwalking,
nervousness, and others!"

"Stop!" Both cried in unison. Nigel dropped the dagger. Carmen picked it up.
She started to quiver again. Her vision blurred. Everything went black. Then
it started to clear...

The next thing Carmen saw was a street in a city. A sign read 'Verona'.
Carmen quickly dropped the dagger and began wandering the streets looking for
a familiar face. What was this play? 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona'? She soon
found two people she recognized.

They were detectives Josha and Marco.

"No, coz, I rather weep," Marco was saying.

Where was that line from?

Josha answered, "Good heart, at what?"

"At thy good heart's oppression."

"Why such is love's transgression," Josha sighed. "This love thou hast shown
Doth add more grief to much of mine own.
Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs;
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lover's eyes;
Being vexed, a sea nourished with lover's tears.
What is it else?
A madness most discreet
A choking gall and a preserving sweet.
Farewell, my coz.

Marco chuckled. "You're still puzzling over what went wrong with Rosaline,
right?"

Rosaline? Carmen groaned inwardly. Verona? This meant she was in 'Romeo and
Juliet'! If so, Josha was Romeo and Marco was Benvolio. What was with the
tragedies?

"Look, coz," Marco was beginning. "Maybe she wasn't the one for you. Old
Capulet is throwing a masked ball. Rosaline will be there. But, if I were
you, I'd check out the other ladies. Perhaps you'll find one that makes
Rosaline the Swan look like a crow."

A few moments later, Carmen found herself in a courtyard. There was a large
pedestal with a piece of paper on it. A bottle of ink and a quill pen lay
beside it. A familiar figure stood aside. It was Ivy!

"Ivy!" Carmen called.

The redheaded detective turned, looking surprised. "Carmen, have you signed
the registry yet?"

"What do you mean?" Carmen cried.

Ivy pointed to the sheet of paper. "Sign your name, then check back in a few
days for your part."

Part? "But I'm from another world!" Carmen almost screamed. "I somehow ended
up here!" She stopped. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"Maybe not. But, hey, once you sign the registry- it's all over."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You will never go back to your other world."

"WHAT?"

"Carmen, don't you ever long to be somewhere else?"

"Maybe I do, but-"

Ivy cut her off and dipped the quill in ink. "Carmen, I encourage you to take
the pen."
She pressed the feather in Carmen's hand. Carmen shook again. She dropped the
pen. The convulsions stopped.

Ivy looked on. "Well, you can decide later. Good bye." She left.

Carmen sighed. She wondered who Ivy could become. There were a lot of strong
willed females in the Shakespeare world. Ivy could have been any one of them.
And then there was Juliet......

Her attention shifted. She now had a way to stay in this madcap world. But
did she have a way out?

To be continued.........