Lights, Camera, Passion!

Chapter 2: Ready or Not

Kimiko led Casey to a busy corner of the soundstage, where her two assistants raced to patch up Marcy the maniac's monster outfit. The costume was way less creepy with all the rips in it.

"Step into my office," Kimiko said, and started prepping Casey for her big death scene.

They'd known each other for years, were best friends and, as of last spring, roommates. Kimiko was Casey's favorite person in the world. Coffee ice cream made her smile. She spoke three languages. And she was disturbingly good at Jenga.

"Um, did you see that guy over there?"

Kimiko frowned. "What guy?"

"I don't know, he just came in..." Casey craned her neck, but couldn't find the Windswept Man to get another look at his pale beauty. "Hm, never mind."

"Okay. Stand right here."

"Well, they're killing me again," said Casey.

"That's what I hear. Put your arms out." Kimiko held up the sprinkler suit.

It was made of heavy cloth, a real sauna suit, with little plastic tubes running all along it. Decades old, and it looked it. Duct tape crisscrossed dozens of tears, and the zipper barely worked. A distressing cocktail of stenches emanated from its depths.

"Oof!" Kimiko flinched, and held it away from her nose.

Grimacing, Casey climbed in and shimmied around, trying her best to help Kimiko pull it up over her body. Something wet slid against her leg.

"God, it's still moist in here!"

"Welcome to showbiz, Cass."

A flood of nausea-induced saliva flooded Casey's mouth. She bit her fist. "Do I wanna know who wore this last time?"

"Um..." Kimiko thought about it a sec, then remembered. "No you do not."

"Damn, dude."

"Look on the bright side. This thing probably won't work, and they'll have to scrap your death scene."

"No second takes," said Casey.

"Exactly. And then, boom, you're in the sequel."

"Wish I could get a do-over for last night."

Kimiko brightened. "Oh yeah! The big date. Wait, didn't it go well?"

Casey narrowed her eyes. "That's a big N-O."

"But Henry seemed so nice!"

"Well--"

"If I'd known he was a jerk, I wouldn't have set you up with him."

"No, I know--"

"Was he a jerk? Or was he a creep. Oh, Cass, was he a deadbeat? Don't tell me he made you pay for dinner, like whats-his-butt!"

"Didn't get that far."

"It didn't get as far as dinner?" Kimiko fought the zipper, trying to get it all the way up, but only managed to shake Casey like a rag-doll.

"I'm gonna have to clothes pin this meezy-feezy." Kimiko called to her assistant, "Need some C-47s over here!"

"We were headed to the restaurant and some fans recognized me."

"He didn't like that you've got fans?"

"He didn't know that's what they were. He just saw a group of guys yelling, 'Somebody wants their pudding!' at us."

Kimiko laughed. "No! But that's such a classic line though. 'Deep Fried Freaks' is one of my favorites. You were so good in that."

"Thankee kindly, madam." Casey put on her costume over the sprinkler suit. It looked a little baggy, but still kinda normal. "But Henry doesn't know his Fulci from his Carpenter."

Adjusting the costume, Kimiko said, "Oh, boy."

"He didn't know what the hell they were yelling about, but he knew he didn't like it. He tried to fight all five of them right there on the street. I tried to explain it, calm him down, but his blood was too hot. Even his bow tie got all cattywampus."

Kimiko blinked. "Wait. He wore a bow tie?"

"I mean, not to shame the man's tie game, but..."

"Think I understand why you called it off now." She patted Casey's shoulder. "Okay, Cass, you're all set. Ready to pop."

"Gee, thanks."

Walking carefully, trailing an umbilical of tubes behind her, Casey returned to the insane asylum set.

Ade was already waiting for her. "There's your mark."

"Standing? Lying?"

"Lie down on that right there." Ade frowned, looked around. "Where's Marcy?"

Casey groaned as she settled herself down onto the floor. She rolled onto her side and clawed at the umbilical, which was tangled under her and pinching her skin. "Little help?"

Ade frowned at Casey, turned and called, "I need a P.A. over here!"

"Ade, just grab it and pull it outta the way."

Ade frowned, but made no move to help Casey. Regardless of his unkempt fingernails and ever-rumpled appearance, the director didn't feel this was worth getting his hands dirty.

A college-age production assistant came running. He bent down and helped Casey.

"Make sure it doesn't have a kink in it," she said, "or it'll blast me up to the rafters."

Ade waited until Casey was settled, then crouched beside her. "Okay, so we got one shot at this, so you're gonna have to nail it the first time out."

"No surprise there." Casey shifted uncomfortably. "Something's still poking me."

"I need that special Casey Shock magic. Writhe around and scream bloody murder, really play to the cheap seats. There's gonna be a lotta blood flying, so if some gets in your mouth or eye or something, just use it. Make gurgly noises or whatever."

Casey didn't sigh out loud, but she sure as hell did on the inside. "Understood."

She had no intention of swallowing city water cut with corn syrup and red food coloring that had just shot through 30-year-old tubes held together with duct-tape.

Ade grunted as he raised back up to standing position. "Damn knees! Just give it everything you got, Case, there's no such thing as too big."

"So, listen, I noticed some guy walk on set a few minutes ago. He looked--"

"Where's Marcy, dammit! C'mon, people, let's light this firecracker!" Ade clapped his hands like a summer camp counselor, and strode back to the director's chair.

Casey muttered, "Okay, good talk."

Marcy the maniac came running, with Kimiko's team in tow, finishing their repairs. They were miracle workers with no time and less money. Casey was impressed, and wondered what amazing things they could create if given half a chance.

Kimiko pointed to several spots on Casey's body. "First, cut her here. Then here, then here. One, two, three."

Marcy repeated Kimiko's moves exactly. "Here, here, and then here? That's it? Three slices?"

"All we can afford. Just play it like you're really getting in there, doing a lotta damage."

A bullhorn squealed, and Ade's voice blared at them. "Let's move! Clear the set!"

Kimiko said, "Good luck, you two!" She gathered her gear and jogged off the stage.

Ade shouted into the bullhorn, "Lights!"

The huge cans of light burst to life, immediately raising the temperature to an uncomfortable degree. The actors squinted, nearly blind.

Getting ready, Casey started hyperventilating, working herself up into a panicky, wide-eyed state.

Marcy the maniac kept rehearsing the strikes, muttering, "One, two, three. One, two, three."

Ade shouted, "Roll camera!"

The camera operator announced, "Speed!"

Casey started writhing around. Marcy hunched down, acting threatening and monstrous.

"Action!"

Growling, Marcy swiped.

Casey screamed. She had a big, full voice, thanks to her training as a singer in her youth.

Rather than explode out of her sprinkler suit, the fake blood just sorta spurted like a water fountain badly in need of repair.

Marcy, seeing the pitiful special effect, hesitated -- a visibly un-monstrous response.

Ade shouted, "Keep going!"

Marcy swiped again.

The second burst of fake blood had even lower pressure than the first.

Casey didn't scream this time. Someone had caught her eye.

The Windswept Man she'd seen earlier. He was back now, standing off to one side of Ade. Outside the range of lights, he was barely more than a shadow, but she recognized his wind-swept hair, his proud stance.

Marcy whispered, "Case?"

Casey didn't hear her. She locked eyes with the Windswept Man, and the uncomfortable sprinkler suit, the hot lights, the entire soundstage faded away. The world seemed to move in slow motion, as if time and space were suddenly too slippery to grasp.

Ade's voice faintly echoed in the distance. "What the hell is going on!"

Marcy made her third and final swipe, and put some force into it. The third spray of fake blood didn't even happen.

Eyes still locked on the Windswept Man, Casey emitted a bleedingly powerful shriek.

Damn near everyone on set felt their neck hairs stand on end. The effect was quite potent.

The Windswept Man blinked, surprised by her force, and grinned.

Ade shouted, "Cut! Good enough!"

The big lights shut down. The temperature immediately fell, like an oven being shut off.

Casey rubbed her eyes. By the time she could see again, the Windswept Man was gone.

"No, not this time." She popped up off the floor, squinting. There! He was heading out the door, letting in daylight as he left.

Casey said, "Gotcha," ripped off the sprinkler suit, and chased him.