บท 53: Chapter 53: Punishment
"Please, spare me, I beg you..."
James Franco's face was smeared with blood as he was tied to a sturdy chair, a noose around his neck with the rope trailing up from the ceiling's chandelier. In front of him, Kerry Mulligan held him in her grasp, her hands covered in blood splatters, her red coat discarded nearby, and her black T-shirt standing out against the room's red and gray background.
In his struggle, James Franco turned his head, "Please..."
The girl remained unmoved, busily attaching one teenage girl's portrait frame after another to the end of the rope.
As the rope filled with more and more frames, James Franco stretched his neck, gasping for air, his last struggles futile. "It wasn't me, I swear! You have no evidence..."
"That doesn't matter," Kerry Mulligan replied coldly.
In front of her, Murphy gave a close-up shot, the makeshift filming track quickly sliding to James Franco's side, capturing his face in detail.
James Franco's face was covered in tears and mucus, his voice feeble, as if truly castrated.
It was his character that was being castrated, yet James Franco portrayed Jeff's mindset perfectly. He could torture others but couldn't bear losing his own life. In an attempt to survive, he tried everything.
"Kill me," he exerted his last strength, "you won't escape either."
"I've told you, I'm a smart student." The girl continued tying the frames, "I've thought of this long ago. Your place is remote, no one saw me come here."
Finally looking up, she killed his last hope with a cold stare. "I'm still a minor, never had my fingerprints taken, or left any DNA. Even if I left traces here, the police wouldn't find me."
"And..." she continued as Murphy adjusted the camera angle, turning to face James Franco, pointing at the rolls of videotapes on the table, "the police will be thrilled when they see what you've filmed. Why would they put in the effort to chase down scum like you?"
"Let me tell you one last thing." Kerry Mulligan's pace quickened. "When you get to hell, don't be a man anymore, let alone a pedophile!"
James Franco finally broke down, tears and snot streaming down his face. "Please! Please! Please..."
His voice was so pitiful, coupled with his bloody appearance, it evoked uncontrollable sympathy.
In mainstream films, villains receive a certain punishment, ultimately handed over to the law, especially when the female protagonist is a minor.
But Murphy didn't follow the original route of the film. The film didn't delve into subtleties or moral reflections. He portrayed a ruthless, sadistic demon from the start, with glimpses of his hypocrisy in between. Through Hailey's detective-like search, it was revealed that the demon had poisoned several innocent girls. In the end, the demon had to face a satisfying punishment.
Cutting off the source of the demon's evil and sending him back to hell was the most fitting atmosphere.
Just as Kerry Mulligan wouldn't sympathize with James Franco, Hailey wouldn't sympathize with Jeff. Despite his pitiful pleas, she briskly walked back to the chair, attaching the largest frames to the rope. At the top of the stack was Emily's photo.
As the rope tightened, the hanging lamp swung violently, James Franco's eyes rolled back, his legs kicking futilely against the chair, unable to muster any strength...
Kerry Mulligan calmly put on her coat, packed her backpack, and headed towards the door, leaving only a red silhouette for the camera.
"Cut!" Murphy stood up from behind the camera, announcing loudly, "Hard Candy, filming is complete!"
"Yes!"
Kerry Mulligan threw away her prop backpack and rushed to Murphy, the first to hug him. "I've finished my first movie!"
Murphy let go of Kerry Mulligan and hugged each member of the crew, who were all ecstatic. The end of filming meant they could finally collect their last payment.
"Hey, Murphy!"
James Franco, covered in blood, approached, not giving Murphy a chance to evade, and hugged him, staining Murphy with fake blood. He laughed, "The tomato sauce you bought smells terrible, I've endured enough, now it's your turn."
Murphy didn't mind, patting James Franco's back. "I hope we can work together again in the future."
He winked, "Kerry said if I have another film, she'll definitely come back."
Hearing this, James Franco quickly looked in Kerry Mulligan's direction, finding her staring back with a strange smile.
"Um..." James Franco quickly averted his gaze, "let's talk about it later."
Finally, Murphy walked over to Jessica Cheston. As he reached out his hand, Jessica Cheston subtly pointed to the crimson stains on his clothes and moved aside.
Murphy shrugged, "When are you heading to New York?"
"Once you settle my payment," Jessica Cheston replied matter-of-factly. "Without money, I can't even afford a plane ticket."
"I'll have someone settle with you soon."
With filming wrapped up, and their employment relationship concluded, Murphy knew Jessica Cheston's aspirations lay not in behind-the-scenes work but in becoming an actress. Her departure was only natural.
There was no formal shutdown ceremony, nor a raucous celebration. After Murphy expressed his gratitude to each crew member, the house gradually quieted down, equipment being packed, cleaning up, and preserving the film rolls...
Murphy went to the temporary warehouse and found that most of the rented equipment was intact. The 240 rolls of film he purchased were slightly better than expected, with nearly 20 rolls left, meaning he had shot enough material for 1000 minutes.
"Hey, Murphy."
Kerry Mulligan, now without makeup, approached. "What are you doing?"
"Worrying," Murphy sighed. "I have to cut around 90 minutes of footage from the 1000 minutes we've shot. It's giving me a headache."
"Will you be busy?" Kerry Mulligan asked, looking up at him.
Murphy nodded.
"Back in Los Angeles, if I have any questions, can I still consult you like before?"
She looked at him with undisguised anticipation. Murphy didn't think much and made a calling gesture. "You know my number."
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