Chapter 45: Spirits in Action
[Chapter 45: Spirits in Action]
"Cut!"
"Monica, that was close, but try to relax your expression a bit more. Think about how Kate would feel seeing herself sleepwalking; really get into the character."
"Got it, I understand."
"Scene 15, shot 6, take 3, action!"
...
On the fifteenth night, the female lead abruptly sat up in bed around one in the morning. She stood by the bedside for over an hour, then sleepwalked out of the bedroom.
The male lead awoke later, noticing his bed empty. Grabbing the camera, he went downstairs to search for her, eventually finding her lost in thought on a suspended chair outside the villa.
He gently urged her to come back inside, but the female lead, in a dazed state, rejected his pleas.
Returning to the villa, he searched for a blanket.
Bang! A sudden loud thumping sounded from the direction of the upstairs bedroom, sending chills down his spine.
As he made his way upstairs, he found the television in the bedroom turned on, the screen filled with static, while a crackling static noise echoed from the speakers.
Armed with the camera, he returned to the bedroom and searched for the spirit. Suddenly, the camera turned, revealing the female lead standing right behind him, causing him to scream.
She awakened, completely unaware of what had taken place during the night.
"I don't remember a thing. I only remember standing at the door while you were filming me, and you were yelling at me. I don't even recall why I was there."
Monica Bellucci, dressed in a black spaghetti strap top, stood in front of the computer monitor, watching the footage from last night, with her face showcasing her fear and helplessness.
"You walked downstairs and sat in the rocking chair. You seemed really out of it, refusing to come back inside, so I went to grab a blanket."
Link spoke from behind the camera.
"Wait, I talked to you?"
"I guess you could say it wasn't a normal conversation, but when I went upstairs, I saw footprints on the ground, and the TV was on."
"Oh God!"
Monica groaned, covering her forehead.
...
"Cut!
"That one was good, let's keep it!"
"Let's do it again!"
Having wrapped up scene 15, Link continued filming the next parts.
...
Unable to catch the spirit, the male lead broke his promise and bought a Ouija board to communicate with it.
The female lead was not pleased when she discovered this and stormed out.
He ran after her.
After they left, the Ouija board sitting on the table began to move on its own, slowly catching fire before the camera.
In the afternoon, the couple returned home from shopping, and the male lead noticed some markings on the Ouija board.
...
For this scene, Link, along with Danny DeVito and Chris Barnes, decided to use a remote control to manipulate the board's planchette, spending an extra $300 to create two electronic remotes.
Making the Ouija board self-ignite was simpler; they mixed a small amount of white phosphorus with a bit of alcohol. The friction from moving the planchette generated enough heat to ignite both substances.
The first experiment used too much white phosphorus and almost burned the table. The second had too little alcohol, causing a weak flame.
It wasn't until the fourth attempt that they succeeded.
...
Seeing the male lead ignoring her warnings and trying to communicate with the spirit, the female lead lost her cool, leading to an argument.
He attempted to decipher the markings the spirit left on the Ouija board, but to no avail. The atmosphere in the villa thickened with unease.
...
On the evening of the seventeenth day, before bed, the male lead sprinkled a lot of laundry powder on the floor near the bedroom door and the upstairs hallway, attempting to find the spirit's location.
Waking up in the middle of the night to strange noises, he noticed several odd footprints on the floor next to his bed. The laundry powder by the door and hallway had been disturbed, leaving a trail of powdery footsteps.
Holding the camera, he followed the footprints to a small storage room next door, where the ceiling panel had been pushed open.
Climbing a ladder into the storage room, he found a childhood photo of the female lead, which had signs of being burned.
That was strange since this villa was his home, and her lost childhood photo appearing there felt out of place.
...
On the morning of the eighteenth day, the female lead called exorcist Dr. Adalis to seek help. He was busy and couldn't return anytime soon.
Reluctantly, she made another appointment with Dr. Frederick, who said he could come the following day.
...
As night fell on the eighteenth day, at around three in the morning, the male lead heard a strange noise. Upon waking up, their bedroom door slammed shut suddenly.
They both rose to check, and shortly after leaving the bedroom, the door slammed shut again with loud thuds echoing inside.
The female lead screamed in fright.
...
"Link, can we film these scenes during the day? It's really creepy at night, and even dressed, I feel chills down my back."
After finishing the scene, Monica rubbed her arms.
It was summer in San Diego, and the indoor temperature hovered around 75 degrees; it wasn't particularly cold, yet Monica wore a tank top and shorts, hugging herself as if shivering with cold.
"There aren't any ghosts in the world; why are you so scared?"
Link wrapped his arm around her shoulder, his hand sliding along her smooth skin.
"How can you be sure there aren't? You know there are many psychics in Hollywood. Sylvester Stallone's mom is a famous astrologer and psychic. When Stallone was coaching, she advised him to write scripts and become an actor, saying he would become a big star. He followed her advice and ended up a huge star. Billy Bob Thornton's mom is also a renowned psychic rumored to talk to spirits. We might want to be careful."
"Alright! You make a good point."
Link didn't argue with Monica about the existence of ghosts, but he understood that many people believed in them, which partly explained the successful market for horror films.
Nearly every year, horror movies performed well at the box office.
In the future, when promoting films, they could use the media to highlight paranormal events, filling media with supernatural stories.
Such coverage would encourage audiences to believe in ghosts and add to the movie's eerie atmosphere.
Link glanced at the clock; it was nearing midnight.
"Chris, we can call it a night; that's enough filming for today."
"Alright, I've been faking ghostly vibes, and I'm exhausted."
Chris Barnes yawned as he made his way downstairs to rest in the bedroom.
...
Link turned off the lights in several rooms, placing the camera on a tripod aimed at the large bed in the bedroom.
After freshening up, Monica lay on the bed in her tank top and shorts, resting her forehead on her arms, striking a pose reminiscent of the goddess Venus, her curves enticing.
"Wow, that's really sexy! I bet even the goddess Venus would be jealous to see you."
"Thanks! I'm in my safe period."
"Well, that's fantastic; there's no better news than that."
Link put down his towel and climbed under the covers with her.
Monica leaned against his shoulder, her hand exploring his chest, her eyes sparkling as they gazed into his.
Understanding her unspoken intent, Link leaned down to kiss her soft lips, his hand sliding from her cheek down to her chest.
Bang!
Suddenly, a noise echoed from downstairs.
Monica jumped, clutching his waist tightly.
"Hey, Chris, get some rest, and don't make a fuss."
Link shouted towards the door.
"I didn't; it was an accident. I just wanted to remind you to keep it down. It's been four days with loud noises every night; the neighbors might complain."
"Don't be so dramatic; get some sleep early."
Link leaned down to kiss Monica again, their bodies brushing against each other.
The temperature in the bedroom rose gradually.
Strange squeaking noises came from beneath the bed.
The spirits were on the move.
*****
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