Chapter 46: Temporarily Wrapped
[Chapter 46: Temporarily Wrapped]
"Link, just as you asked, I've selected ten new actors. Here are their profiles along with some video footage. Take a look," Daniel DeVito said as he passed over a stack of materials during breakfast. The documents featured ten young men who weren't exactly heartthrobs, but they had a lively look about them.
These were potential leads for the second version of Paranormal Activity. In the first version, Link played the lead role to gather experience and gauge box office potential. The plan for the second version involved casting a different lead, filming again, and comparing which version achieved better financial support.
If both versions returned limited funding, they could opt to recast entirely, bringing in new leads to maximize profits. Among the seven players Daniel brought, Link was surprised to see the names of two familiar faces: Matt Damon and Matt LeBlanc.
However, neither were suitable. Matt Damon had a bookish persona and seemed far too dependable for the lively, reckless character they sought. Matt LeBlanc, best known for his role as Joey on Friends, was 25 and had a solid four-year stint as a commercial model, appearing in big campaigns for Levi's 501 jeans and Coca-Cola. Since he had a recognizable face, he still didn't fit the bill for the lead.
After reviewing footage of the ten candidates, Link was intrigued by an actor named Jeremy Northam, aged 26, who had played a minor role in a little-known miniseries in 1988. Jeremy's audition was charmingly animated, with a boyish smile.
Link decided to move three actors into the second round of auditions. Ultimately, the choice of who would take the lead would hinge on their chemistry with Monica, ensuring they resembled a genuine couple.
"Daniel, have those three prepare for the audition in three days. Let them know the budget is tight, and we're offering $1,000 a day. If that's not enough, they can pass," Link instructed.
"Got it, I'll set it up," Daniel replied, gathering the materials and leaving the room.
...
Link and Monica resumed shooting at the villa.
Bang!
On the 19th day of filming, as the lead couple sat down for a meal, a loud crash echoed from upstairs. Startled, the male lead grabbed the camera and dashed up, searching the bedroom, storage room, and bathroom, but found nothing amiss.
"Our photo!" Monica shouted from outside.
"What photo?" Link called out, panning the camera around the bedroom.
"On the wall, look!"
On the wall outside the second-floor bedroom, a glass frame hanging there had been shattered in the center -- an image of the two leads. A long scratch marred the face in the photo, looking jagged and unnatural, more like a claw mark than a cut from a knife.
"Damn! What's going on? Why does my photo have a scratch, but yours doesn't?" Link asked, pointing the camera at the broken frame.
"There's something here," Monica murmured behind him.
"What do you mean?"
"It's right here."
Monica stood still, her eyes darting left and right, as if feeling the presence of an unseen specter lurking nearby.
"What's here? What are you talking about?"
"I don't know, but it's breathing on me," she said, freezing into a terrified stance.
Link aimed the camera at her, moving the lens up and down, seeing nothing behind her. Suddenly, the hair across her shoulders lifted slightly, startled her into a shriek, and she leaped into Link's arms.
...
"Cut!"
"Baby, you should have run downstairs, not into my arms," Link said, chuckling.
"I know, it just felt so scary," she admitted, brushing her hair back and planting a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Don't scare yourself; there's no ghost. Let's do it again."
Link playfully smacked her on the rear.
"Alright!"
"Scene 19, shot 6, take 2 -- action!"
Monica let out a loud scream and dashed downstairs.
"Cut!"
...
The male lead searched upstairs but found nothing. He glanced back at the camera as a supernatural presence unveiled itself for the first time during daylight, intensifying the eerie atmosphere.
Dr. Frederick arrived to share that the exorcist Dr. Adalis was overseas but would return in a few days. Upon entering, Dr. Frederick shivered, warning that the malevolent spirit was very powerful and not welcoming of his presence -- he couldn't offer any help.
He added that leaving the villa would be useless; the spirit would follow them. After his warning, Dr. Frederick hurriedly retreated, leaving the couple alone in the villa.
...
On the night of the 19th, the leads went to bed, while the camera continued to capture their sleeping moments in the bedroom.
Around 1 a.m., a bedsheet covering Monica began to sway, revealing her feet, and strange claw marks appeared. The corridor light flickered on outside the open door before extinguishing a few seconds later.
A faint shadow flitted past the white door. Strange noises echoed from outside the room, waking Monica with a start.
...
On the 20th day, the male lead reviewed last night's footage, discovering that similar hauntings had occurred in the U.S. over the last 60 years, with events like the New York Morgue Case, the Montleon Hotel haunting, and the Blair Witch incident in Tennessee being notable mentions.
The most recent case had occurred in 1987 in Connecticut, the only paranormal instance the U.S. government had acknowledged in history.
In the haunted house incident, the homeowners reported constant strange noises, and despite the FBI's high-tech investigations, no clear explanation was found. The central figure of that haunting was also a young woman who'd previously experienced a house fire, mirroring Monica's plight.
The tension escalated further.
...
On the night of the 20th, they lay in bed as a pale shadow slid through the open door. The comforter was pulled off Monica, and invisible hands seized her feet, dragging her from bed into the hallway.
Monica's screams echoed through the corridor.
"Katie!"
The male lead jumped out of bed, threw open the suddenly shut door, and dashed outside to rescue her from the unseen force.
...
On the 21st day, the male lead discovered scratches on Monica's back, as if a creature had bitten her. They contemplated leaving the villa, but with a cross clasped tightly in her hands, Monica lapsed into a semi-conscious state, unwilling to go.
They decided to stay the night.
...
That evening, on camera, Monica sat up suddenly in bed, standing by the male lead. After an hour, she went downstairs.
He awoke and searched for her.
From below, she heard shrill cries and screams, which abruptly turned silent. The tense ambiance lingered thickly in the room.
After several seconds, heavy footsteps thudded from the stairway outside their bedroom. Suddenly, the male lead was thrown from the doorway into the camera's view, capturing the sight of his lifeless body sprawled across the ground alongside Monica's slow, bloody entrance, her white shirt saturated with crimson.
...
"Cut!"
"Monica, walk a little slower this time, focus on your pacing," Link directed.
"3, 2, 1 -- action!"
...
Monica stepped in, her long dark hair cascading, her shirt bloody. She strolled toward the male lead, crouched down beside him, then slowly raised her head, blood-smeared, with a haunting gaze fixed on the camera.
...
"Cut! Good!"
Just to be safe, Link decided to keep this take and filmed another one. Monica immersed herself deeply in her role, and the shooting flowed smoothly.
...
"Cut!"
"Great!"
"I announce Paranormal Activity is temporarily wrapped!" Link shouted.
"Why only temporarily wrapped?" Monica asked as she stood up.
"First, we'll edit what we have. If the results aren't good, we might need to replace the male lead to complement your performance. But you have many standalone shots, so bringing him back wouldn't be difficult. We could wrap this up in three or four days."
"No problem! I'm enjoying my time here and hope to stay longer."
Monica wiped her face, stained with what was left from their tomato juice.
"I'm thinking about buying this villa -- it would be great for future getaways."
Properties in San Diego County were significantly cheaper than in Los Angeles. This sun-soaked venue, over 20,000 square feet with two stories, four bedrooms, and six bathrooms, along with an outdoor pool, basketball court, and garden, was listed for only $328,000 -- far less than anything in Beverly Hills.
If Paranormal Activity did well at the box office, this property would undoubtedly appreciate, marking it as a sound investment.
"A vacation? You'd brave living here alone?" Monica joked.
"Not alone, I'd have you," Link replied, leaning down to kiss her lips, tasting the sweet tang of tomato juice.
Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
"Oh my God! Not again, I've had it with you guys!" Chris Barnes, who was dressed as the ghost, rolled his eyes at the door before stomping downstairs heavily.
...
Link kicked the door shut and pulled Monica onto the bed, ready to enjoy her velvety, soft skin as a reward for their hard work.
The camera on the tripod continued to document everything in the bedroom.
Just then, a chilly breeze fluttered the curtains, causing Link to shiver involuntarily.
*****
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