Chapter 43: A Natural Outcome
[Chapter 43: A Natural Outcome]
After dinner, the filming continued. For Paranormal Activity, which had 21 days of events, Link decided to condense it into 7 days of shooting. Sometimes they filmed night scenes during the day and vice versa, keeping them busy around the clock.
...
On the first day, the male and female leads relaxed in the living room, chatting when an eerie buzzing noise emanated from next door, instantly shifting the film's atmosphere to one of tension. The male lead, Micah, grabbed the camera and went to investigate the source of the sound. After a brief search, he discovered it was just the air conditioning unit -- the tension lifted somewhat.
...
That night, while they were in bed, a scratching noise came from outside, waking them up. They searched the room but found nothing, intensifying the film's horror vibe.
...
On the second day, they sought help from a mystic, Dr. Frederick. Through his intuition, he confirmed the presence of a malevolent spirit in the house, one that drew strength from negative energy. He cautioned Micah against using an Ouija board, warning that it could summon the spirit with dire consequences. When they asked the mystic to banish the entity, he admitted he only had experience in spiritual communication but could refer them to Dr. Adalis, a skilled exorcist.
...
After the mystic left, it was just the two leads remaining in the room. The existence of the spirit had been confirmed. The next night, they noticed the open door moving slightly back into place, a moment captured on the bedroom camera.
Once they woke up, they reviewed the footage from the previous night, and the chilling ambiance kept escalating.
...
"Link, I'm starting to believe what you said -- this is going to be a great film," Monica Bellucci remarked during dinner.
"Why's that?" he asked, intrigued.
"When you were in the kitchen, I felt something creep up behind me while I was alone in the living room. It was scary," she replied.
"You were probably getting into your character, Katie. That's a good sign; it'll help make the performance more authentic," he explained.
"Yeah, after filming this movie, I might end up with some weird psychological baggage -- I might not want to live alone anymore," she confessed.
"I can keep you company until you feel better about it," Link joked.
"That's what you said -- after we wrap up, you'll move into the apartment with me," Monica said with a teasing smile, eyes wide open in mock seriousness.
"Deal! I'm in it for the long haul," he laughed.
"Hey! I'm here too! Can you two tone it down while you're flirting? It's ruining my appetite," Chris Barnes interjected from the other end of the table, chewing on his delicious grilled pineapple pork chop, looking far from unenthusiastic about his meal.
"Just keep quiet! We're filming here, and too many voices will spoil the eerie atmosphere," Link pointed at the camera on the table.
Chris shrugged, not bothered. He thought the pink, flirtatious vibes in the room overshadowed any spooky atmosphere. He began to suspect Daniel DeVito was onto something -- that Link was making this movie just to get closer to Monica Bellucci. They shared meals, lived, and even slept together these days, which felt more like a couple than mere colleagues.
...
"Link, are you filming? Can I come in?" Daniel DeVito called from the doorway.
"Just eating right now; come on in," Link answered.
Daniel entered and poured himself a glass of water. He had brought along photos of several actresses for the role of the second female lead. The girls represented fresh talent, with some acting experience but few credits to their names.
Link browsed through, finally picking out someone who bore a striking resemblance to a future Oscar winner, Renee Zellweger. She was attractive, with a decent figure and was 23 years old, fresh out of the University of Texas where she had studied drama and participated in stage productions.
The character was a classmate of the lead actress Katie, making a few brief appearances to warn Micah not to mess with the Ouija board and to suggest that Katie move. The role wasn't extensive and wouldn't be difficult to play, so Renee could fit right in.
"Let's go with her!"
"Link, the press seems to have caught wind of your filming here. There are reports suggesting you're not filming but vacationing with a sexy beauty," Daniel said, adjusting his glasses while stealing a glance at Monica.
"Just ignore those rumors; let's keep this filming under wraps. The media attention could cause complications," Link advised.
"Got it. By the way, about those scripts you submitted to several companies, three of them have expressed interest in acquiring the adaptation rights and are asking when you'd be available to discuss," Daniel added.
"I'm busy for now; tell them to hold off until I finish this film," Link replied.
"Sure thing!"
"Wow, Link, are all three of your scripts getting attention?" Monica asked in surprise.
"My scripts are solid. Their interest shows they know quality," he responded with a hint of pride.
"You're amazing. I think I'm obsessed with you," Monica said, biting her lip, her gaze intense.
Coughing, Chris found himself choking on his soup and decided to take his plate outside to eat.
...
After dinner, Link and Monica resumed filming in the villa, while Chris played ghost, trying to create strange noises.
After several days of clumsiness, Link patiently guided him on how to make it work better before every shoot.
...
"Day 5, Scene 3, action!"
On the fifth night, while the leads were in bed, Katie woke from a nightmare hearing odd noises. Suddenly, they heard a heavy thud from downstairs.
Curious but cautious, they took the camera to check it out, but found nothing.
During the day, when Micah analyzed sounds recorded by their audio equipment, he detected eerie whispers, sounding low and unintelligible.
"What is that noise?" Monica probed.
"I listened to it fifty times; it doesn't sound like speaking in any language we know, not like dogs barking or street noise -- there's no electronic interference," Micah said, his voice filled with trepidation.
"Oh my God! I think it might be in the bedroom trying to reach out to us. We should get a Ouija board," he suggested, feeling a mix of fear and curiosity.
"No way!" Monica and Renee protested simultaneously.
"I don't want to know what it wants; I just want to keep my distance from it," Monica reiterated firmly.
"Trust me, that's a horrible idea. Once we let it in with the Ouija board, it will stick around indefinitely," Renee added, having heard similar tales.
"Just let me do my thing for a second, will you?" Link ran a hand over his forehead in frustration.
"Filming should be your priority. Forget about the Ouija board -- promise me, Micah. Promise me!" Monica insisted, her eyes fierce.
"Alright, I promise not to buy a Ouija board, okay?" he conceded.
"Thank you! Hey, Micah, smile for me," Monica said, raising the camera towards him.
Link donned a forced grin, looking slightly pained.
...
"Cut!"
After reviewing the footage, Link realized the fighting didn't convey enough intensity, which impacted the scene's pacing.
He spent some time coaching Monica and Renee on how to deliver their lines more compellingly, and the second take ended up being much stronger.
...
On the 13th night, Link pointed the camera down the dark hallway, calling out, "Hey, we haven't had any fun in a while. Are you scared? What else can you do?"
"Stop shooting; it's time for bed," Monica waved him over from the bedroom, looking comfy.
"Come on, what else do you have? Bring it!" he taunted the darkness, continuing his challenge.
"Hey, don't provoke it, Micah. Cut it out and come back here," she urged.
"You useless spirit! You're nothing but a waste!" he taunted further.
"Enough! Put the camera down," Monica pulled him toward the bedroom.
Link set the camera on the tripod, framing the bed and then climbed into it. Monica curled up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder while her hand trailed over his chest, slowly moving down.
Link chuckled softly, leaning down to kiss her red lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, fingers running through his hair.
The blanket covering them began to shift gently with their movements.
*****
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