Playing the Part

"I didn't get the part." Sam said as she flopped down on the next to her cousin Dylan. She ran her hands through her long dark hair with a disheartened sigh. "What!?" The small blonde spoke out in shock beside her.

In Dylan's eyes Sam is next in line for an Oscar, but that wasn't the case. Sam was a fighting actress with only a hand full of independent movies and bit roles on TV shows under her belt. Yea she had been in movies with some great actors, but that wasn't going to pay her bills unless she got a part soon.

"Did they say why?" Dylan asked still not being able to grasp that her older cousin didn't get the part. Sam sighed in disappointment she could come up with a million reasons why she didn't get the part, but there was one prominent reason. "The girl I was up against had more credits than I did, so they chose her." She told Dylan while a sad lump built in her throat.

She loved acting, but no matter how hard she tried she never got the role, because of her lack in experience. It was a never ending cycle, she couldn't get a part because of no experience and she couldn't get experience because of not getting a part.

The part had been a small bit in a movie, but it was better than nothing. Sam's thoughts were interrupted as she felt her cousin's arms wrap tight around her shoulders. "Don't worry you'll get the next one." Dylan's gentle voice made her smile.

Dylan had always been there for Sam ever since they were little and Sam had always been there for her. Dylan knew what to say to make her feel better and she was grateful for it. Even though Dylan was six years younger than Sam, she almost acted like a big sister. No one was able to pick on Sam with out getting the wrath of Dylan Ryder. Dylan was a small petite blonde with big blue eyes, but appearances maybe deceiving, because she was like a firecracker.

"Forget about them okay? They are missing out on true talent here." Dylan's encouraging voice made Sam grin and laugh. "You are such a cheese ball!" Sam laughed as she lightly punched her cousin's shoulder making her laugh as well.

"It's true Sam! And as your unofficial agent..." Dylan said looking at Sam with a big mischievous grin. "I was talking to Laurie Holden about you having trouble finding a job and-" Dylan stopped as Sam slapped her shoulder. "You did what?!" Sam yelled, red starting to flush in her cheeks.

Laurie was an actress Sam had worked with a few years back in a movie called 'The Mist' and they had stayed friends, but Laurie was talented and successful. Sam wasn't any of that and it was quite embarrassing. She couldn't believe Dylan would tell Laurie that she was struggling.

"Look, just let me continue okay? This is good news trust me!" Dylan pleaded as Sam's eyes were red hot wanting to murder her cousin. One thing with Dylan she could say all the right things than turn around and do something totally idiotic. "What's the good news than?" Sam spouted out impatiently crossing her arms.

"Well Laurie said that they are holding auditions this week and next for that show she is on and that you should come."

Sam shot up from the couch upon hearing what her cousin was saying and began to pace. "Oh no no no." Sam shook her head no as she kept repeating it. Where in the hell did Dylan come up with this genius idea?

"Why not?!" Dylan shouted wanting to know what was so bad about it.

"Because do you know what show she's on?!"

"Well yea of course I do." Obviously Dylan knew what show it was, the two of them watched it every Sunday together. "I'm not cut out for it Dyl! I can barely get a small part in a crappy movie let alone that show!" Sam continued to pace tossing up her hands.

"Come on Sam! You'd do great, plus you're friends with Laurie, she can put in a good word for you! You never know until you try." Dylan pleaded her blue eyes forming the puppy eyed look. "Plus I told you, you'll get this next one. When have I ever been wrong?" Dylan smiled and Sam couldn't help but smile too.

"But it's the Walking Dead Dyl." Sam said solemnly in a whisper as she sat back down. This was huge there was no way she would make it.

"Yea it's the Walking Dead, so what? You're Samantha Ryder you got this." Dylan smiled as she hugged her cousin for the second time.

<><><><><><>

"Here Laurie sent the lines over, I printed them out for you." Dylan told Sam as she handed her a few pages the top one reading:

The Walking Dead Season 2: Maggie Greene

"Maggie Greene?" Sam looked down at the papers than back at her cousin. "Yea it's the part Laurie suggested for you... read some lines than get in front of the camera."

It had been a few days since Dylan had told Sam about the auditions. Now that Laurie had sent them some lines Sam could finally sit down and film an audition to send to Georgia.

"I still think this is a waste of time." Sam said as she flipped through the pages.

"Not if you get the part, so stop pouting. Now hurry up and get in front of the camera." Dylan ordered her, while pointing to the corner of the room where their camera sat on a tripod.

"So farmer's daughter? With a southern accent?" Sam asked nervously, she had never really played a part with a southern accent. "Guess I'll give it a shot."

Sam moved reluctantly to a chair that sat in front of the camera while tucking her dark brown hair behind one ear. She read the scene of a father and daughter to herself while Dylan got the camera ready. It was a little overwhelming.

The characters in the scene were both new, Sam had never once seen them on the show. The scene also required emotion and was very well written, she knew at that point she was way over her head.

Her doubtful thoughts were interrupted by Dylan. "Okay Sam, I'm gonna read the lines for this Hershel guy and you just act out the Maggie lines, alright?" Dylan looked to her cousin as she sat behind the camera with her own set of lines.

Sam nodded with a deep breath giving her the 'go' to start the camera. Dylan's fingers hit down on the red recording button as Sam cleared her throat before speaking to the camera.

"Samantha Ryder, Age 29."

Dylan than began the scene with Hershel's simple line "Hi Honey." Sam quickly got into character fighting the urge to laugh at her cousin saying 'Hi Honey.' This was the time to be serious though, her getting this job depended on it.

Sam sunk her head low and began to act as if she didn't hear the line. "Carl doesn't need any more of my help." Dylan read out the lines, but Sam cut her off with Maggie's line. "So that's it?" Sam started to get the feel for the character as she came out with a little southern tinge to her voice.

Dylan went on with Hershel's part trying to convince Maggie that kicking Rick's group out was the right choice. "There are plenty of farms now to choose from." Dylan's girly non southern voice spoke. Her little cousin definitely wasn't cut out to be an actress that was for sure.

"There aren't. Every one of them nearby is burned out or full of walkers." Sam said back with attitude. That is what the scene called for, emotion and attitude. It was an argument between father and daughter and Sam had plenty of experience with that.

It went on again Hershel continuing his debate trying to win Maggie over, even Sam began to get tired with the old man. She wanted to win this argument and she wanted to win this part.

She became completely consumed in character as she spoke her next lines, "A new command I give to you: love one another as I have loved you." Sam said as she formed tears in the corners of her eyes like the script said to do.

"That's what you told me, right? I was mad about mom. Mad about you marrying Annette. I was 14 years old and I was awful, to you more than anybody."

Sam's confidence rose as she felt the emotion rise in her voice, she wanted this part so bad she could taste it.

"All I wanted to do was smoke and shoplift. 'Love one another.' That's what you told me."

Sam was beaming with confidence once she saw Dylan's mesmerized face, she knew she was doing good. Dylan almost forgot to read her lines she was so busy watching her older cousin act.

"Maggie, that was different." Dylan spoke in a stutter.

"No you're different." Sam interrupted Hershel's lines with Maggie's once again. Dylan continued the lines after that with Hershel telling Maggie he loved her than asking if she was acting this way over the, on quote 'Asian Boy.'

Sam wanted to smile at the mention of the 'Asian boy' Glenn was one of her favorite characters, and Maggie was his love life. Even though she wanted to cheer that Glenn was finally going to get some she couldn't, because this was the part in the scene where the tears were supposed to come free.

"No." Sam sighed shaking her head as a tear fought its way down her cheek. "His name is Glenn. He saved my life yesterday when one of the people you think is sick tried to kill me. How's that for dramatic?" Sam voiced, she was hitting her peek in the scene and she loved the feeling it gave her. She prayed in her mind as she spoke that she would get this part.

"It's not about me and Glenn. It's not about me and you. It's about you. It's about who you are, who you're gonna be." And with that the scene ended as Dylan hit the record button again to stop the filming.

"Wow Sam, that was amazing! We got to send this in right away!" Dylan began to take the tape out of the camera.

"You really think so? I didn't over do it?" Sam asked, even though she felt good she wasn't totally sure yet.

"Yes Sam! You were so great to watch! They'll love you! Say hello to Maggie Greene ladies and gents!" Dylan cheered and they both laughed. Sam could only hope, another week and she would know.

<><><>1 WEEK LATER <><><>

"Okay Ms. Ryder I have good news and bad news..." Sharon Bialy, The Walking Dead's casting director's, voice spoke to Sam through the phone.

Sam's heart beat a million miles per hour this could be good or bad, they had called her so that had to mean something right? If they were going to tell her she didn't get the part surely she would've got an email and not a phone call.

"We'll start with the bad news, I'm sorry Samantha, but Lauren Cohan will be playing the part of Maggie." Sharon's voice came through the phone causing Sam's heart to drop.

She had got her hopes up, all week she had been waiting eagerly to hear good news, but this is what she got. "But Ms. Ryder our writing team here has put their heads together and we'd like to offer you another part."

"We would love it if you'd come down and read some lines for us, so we can see if this will work. Can you do that for us?" Sharon asked and Sam's face lit up like a light bulb.

Dylan watched with question waiting to hear the news.

"Yes, of course! Of course I can! Saturday? By 12? Of course! I'll see you there!"

Sam finished the conversation and hung up turning to her cousin with a wide grin. "So did you get it?!" Dylan asked shuttering with excitement.

"Go check the email." Sam said with a sly smile. Dylan ran to their computer sitting on a far left wall of their New York studio, loft, apartment.

Sam watched as her cousin clicked fast trying pull up their email. "Welcome to The Walking Dead." Dylan read out the title of the email, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Sam oh my god!" Dylan cheered as she read the email.

"Go on read it out loud." Sam said with a smile as she took a seat on the couch about five feet away from the computer. Dylan cleared her throat as she prepared to read out the email.

"Dear Ms. Ryder,

We would like to extend to you an invitation for Saturday to read for the part of Harper Greene, a new character development of our creative team. Details on the character are listed down below. We hope to see you Saturday.

Sincerely, The Walking Dead Family!"

Dylan read jumping up and down with excitement. "Oh Sam! I told you! I told you!" Dylan yelled running to the couch and tackling her cousin. They erupted in happy and joyful laughter. Sam had this part in her grasps now all she had to do was play it.