Bab 14: Photo
"Is it over?"
Charlize stood in the bedroom, still dazed, wondering if what just happened was a dream. If it weren't for the tornado that had torn through the room, she might have thought it was a hallucination induced by excessive drugs.
"What did you expect? A battle, followed by a human-ghost relationship like in 'Ghost'?" Christian retorted, still holding the photo and contract in hand.
Just moments ago, as Christian had called out Alexis's full name, a destructive whirlwind had suddenly erupted in the room. It was as if a tornado, reminiscent of the ones sweeping through the southern United States, had entered Charlize's bedroom. Frightening screams filled the air, making one's heart race.
The room's furnishings were torn apart by the strong winds and eerie cries, but the two posters that had been placed on the wall, featuring Stallone's Rambo and Schwarzenegger's T-800, emitted a faint but piercing light. Gradually, the wind and screams subsided. In the next moment, Charlize's consciousness returned to her body.
"Now, Alexis has fallen asleep again, and I've sealed her within this photo," Christian explained, handing Charlize the picture he had taken with the Polaroid camera.
Charlize accepted the photo, only to realize that something was amiss.
"This isn't me in the photo"
The girl in the photo was beautiful, with a slender figure and a hint of bewilderment in her expression, giving her an otherworldly aura. But this girl was not Charlize.
"Of course, it's not you. It's Alexis" Christian responded, anticipating Charlize's confusion. "I've specially processed this camera and the photo paper inside to capture the appearance of ghosts. However, because my powers are currently limited, I need the ghost's consent for their image to appear."
"So, you had Alexis sign the photo to make her acknowledge it's her own?" Charlize asked, her consciousness still clear. She had seen everything through her own eyes during the ordeal.
"Exactly. Alexis needed to recognize the photo as her own for it to work. When I first took the photo, it did capture your image because I wanted to take Alexis's photo directly. However, due to my limited power, even with special processing, I couldn't force her to appear in the photo unless she recognized it."
"But at that moment, I saw the photo as myself. Why didn't she do the same? Did you manipulate her?" Charlize inquired.
"Because a person's appearance may feel unfamiliar, like the most familiar stranger. Even you, when you see a photo of yourself, might take a moment to recognize it. People tend to perceive subtle differences between their appearance in a mirror and photos. Alexis, as a ghost with fragmented consciousness and unclear memories, might not even recognize that she's dead. So, if she didn't particularly doubt me, she would've subconsciously believed it was her appearance in the photos I took with the camera. That belief quickly made her appearance manifest in the photo," Christian explained.
He continued, "Also, you unconsciously influenced Alexis's consciousness. If you had immediately recognized that the photos I took of your body weren't your true appearance, it would've led to Alexis's skepticism, almost revealing my trap. Am I right?"
Charlize nodded, acknowledging her mistake. She realized that she had almost spoiled Christian's plan due to her skepticism. However, she also understood that her instinct as an actress had played a part. She had doubted the contract from the start, and Christian had used it to his advantage.
"I'm not blaming you. I was aware that collaborating with someone untrained like you to capture ghosts would be challenging. Your instincts got the best of you, but it was already remarkable that you managed things this way," Christian said generously.
"When Alexis looked at the photos, I was prepared to implement Plan B in case she saw through the trap. Fortunately, your subconscious recognition of your photo also affected Alexis. She recognized the photo as her own and signed her name."
"Plan B? What's that?" Charlize asked, curious about what Christian had referred to as "Plan B."
"Plan B was my backup plan to handle any contingencies, especially if Alexis had figured out the trap. It's even riskier than the original plan. It's great that we didn't need it," Christian explained.
Seeing the curiosity in Charlize's eyes, Christian retrieved a yellow note from his pocket. "This was my Plan B."
The note was rectangular and not smooth to the touch, with strange characters that Charlize didn't recognize.
"It's written in Yin runes, like the names of Qin Qiong and Yu Chigong when they were summoned by the Ghost King. These runes hold mystical power and can communicate with spirits. I wrote the words 'Ghost King' on this yellow paper with runes to create a talisman. It can tap into the power of the 'Ghost King' when needed. Plan B was about going all out if the situation went south. But it is even more perilous, it requires strong willpower to use the 'Ghost King' power, so it's best not to use it if it's not necessary," Christian explained.
"Ah, I understand," Charlize said, still feeling somewhat disappointed. However, she carefully stowed away the talisman with "Ghost King" written on it. It was better to have some protection than none at all.
"Back to Plan A, then. Sally, what about the anthill I asked you to prepare?" Charlize finally remembered the preparations Christian had asked her to make after confirming that the ghost was Alexis.
"Anthill?" Charlize asked, somewhat puzzled.
Christian nodded. "I asked you to prepare an anthill."
Charlize was stunned for a moment, and then remembered, after confirming that the ghost attached to her was Alexis, the two separately made some preparations. Christian prepared these props, naturally. But what he told Charlize to prepare was an ant nest.
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References-
1. Ghost - It is a 1990 American supernatural romance film directed by Jerry Zucker from a screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin.
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