Chương 11: Imagination

"Rise"

With a command that seemed to penetrate deep into the soul, Charlize slowly opened her eyes to find a mysterious man she had known for only a few days standing before her.

'Christian Booth, are you a fraud, or are you truly a Master of Exorcism?'

The blonde girl felt dazed by the thought. Even now, she found it hard to believe that everything that had transpired was real. It felt like a grand, fantastical dream as if she had become Susan from Narnia. She was torn between disbelief in this fantasy and a lingering sense of enchantment. When Christian had asked her to help with exorcisms and ghost-catching, she, who should have been terrified of being possessed by a ghost, was feeling excitement.

'Just treat it as a dream. A little girl's dream that was supposed to have been left behind in childhood but was interrupted by a nightmarish reality

Murmuring this to herself, Charlize attempted to rise from her chair, only to discover she was utterly powerless. Her entire body felt weightless, as if she were floating in the air, devoid of any strength or burden, even her emotions felt lighter.

'Is this the effect of an overdose of painkillers? If I knew it was this comfortable, I would have stopped going to bars. The hangover is terrible.

Her consciousness wavered and blurred as Charlize basked in the delightful sensation of floating. But her tranquility was abruptly shattered when she realized, to her horror, that she had spoken.

"Sir, where am I? Who are you? What do you want?"

Fear and panic were evident in her voice, and Charlize, in her current state, felt helpless. Her body felt like it wasn't her own, and yet her voice was unmistakably hers. What was even more unsettling was that she had not been the one to speak.

"What? Have you forgotten? Miss Alexis, this is the audition room. You're here for an audition"

Christian's voice was stern and brusque, with a touch of impatience. It sounded eerily similar to the casting directors Charlize had encountered during auditions in the past.

"You mentioned you weren't feeling well earlier, so you wanted to take a nap and have us arrange everything for you. Are you okay now?"

Christian's voice displayed evident irritation. The message was clear: "Charlize you are wasting time."

The word "okay" was even pronounced with a slight accent, dripping with sarcasm.

'Is this stress'

Having heard the pre-arranged signal by Christian, Charlize's consciousness suddenly sharpened. While she remained incapable of controlling her body, she remembered Christian and the plan.

"When I summon Alexis, she will take control of your body, and you'll be in a subconscious state. In this state, you won't have full control over your body, but you won't be completely powerless either. You can imagine"

"Imagine? If I could, I'd imagine that none of this has happened, that it's all just a nightmare"

Charlize retorted with frustration, suspecting that Christian was simply playing with her.

"No, it's not what you think. Recall that even when Alexis is attached to your body, most of the time, she lacks consciousness and memory and cannot control your body. Yet, even in this state, if you have negative emotions, she can still affect your mood. Why? Because it's akin to your subconscious and imagination. You can't exert precise control, but you can influence it. Many ghosts create vivid illusions in people's minds. Essentially, they manipulate people's subconscious and imagination. So, now, when I allow her to control your body, you will enter a ghost-like state. However, in this state, you can influence Alexis, who has control of your body, by utilizing your imagination and leading her to hallucinate. I've set a trap, and you have to use your imagination to lead her into it."

"But how can I do that? I've never been a ghost before"

"But you're an actor. A good actor frequently relies on their imagination to construct a fictitious personality and backstory for themselves. Even though it's closer to the Method School, it's not difficult for a skilled actor. Don't you think?"

"..."

While Charlize acknowledged that her acting skills were practically non-existent, her pride prevented her from expressing weakness. Thus, she hesitated to admit it now.

"Imagine, Sally, Imagine. Imagine that you're a struggling actress auditioning for the role of Mary Jane in the upcoming 'Spider-Man' movie directed by James Cameron. Envision the eagerness and anxiety you feel. Picture the tense atmosphere in the audition room. Envision the scrutinizing gazes of the casting directors. Pretend this isn't your bedroom; it's the audition location. This is the audition room."

Through her imagination, Charlize suddenly understood that this was her life, running tirelessly day after day for insignificant bit parts. Each failed audition led to a night of drinking, followed by hopeful anticipation for the next opportunity.

'This was my life before, this was the life of Alexis before her death. This is an audition

Yes, this was an audition, an unusual one. While previous auditions could be failed, and roles might be secured through various means, in this one, failure was not an option. No tricks, no nudity, nothing unconventional would work. This was an audition Christian had arranged for her—a special audition, an audition involving ghosts, and most importantly, an audition of her innermost self. In this audition, the usual complications were absent. Only the best performance by the best actor would suffice.

This was a pure audition.

She stood among countless beautiful girls vying for the role of Mary Jane, believing in her success.

"May the strongest win, little bitches"

As the tension receded, Charlize harnessed her imagination for the first time. Her surroundings shifted from her bedroom to an audition room with soundproofing. The air bore the scent of cheap perfume, a remnant of previous hopeful starlets who had auditioned. Christian was no longer present; instead, a middle-aged man in his late thirties or forties, portly and robust, assumed the role of the casting director. He observed her impatiently, awaiting her response.

"I can do it, sir"

This was the response Charlize wished to offer. Although the voice was hers, it wasn't she who had spoken.

No, It was Alexis who was responding. Although she couldn't control her words, the thoughts in her mind were gradually aligning with Alexis. Like a room filled with gas, her imagination was the flammable gas diffused through the air. Christian, or rather, the casting director's prodding, was the tiny but potent spark that ignited it. While she couldn't control this body, her words, actions, and emotions were the combustion that followed.

It was a necessity.

She was Alexis, who had faced countless failures yet continued to audition for her dreams of success.

"I can begin the audition"

She offered a silent cheer for herself.

"That's good"

The casting director's impatient demeanor seemed to soften slightly. He handed her a thin script.

"Start from the scene on top"

He stopped speaking and sat back, resting his chin on his hands as he observed her with eager eyes.

'Don't be afraid. I can do it

She silently cheered herself on, steeling herself for the challenge as she opened the script.

"Please perform the scene in which Mary Jane is rescued by Spider-Man. She is grateful and deeply enamored with him. They share an upside-down kiss in the rain."

A kiss scene?

Her initial shock was soon replaced by the sight of a slight smirk on the casting director's face.

"No one will be playing opposite you in this scene. Spider-Man will be performed in front of a green screen, as the film will require many special effects shots. This audition is a test of your acting abilities and your adaptability to green-screen acting. Can you do it?"

"Of course"

Did they think so little of her? A mere kiss scene? Though unconventional for auditions, she was confident she could handle it.

"May I start now?"

The casting director didn't respond verbally but simply extended his hand in a gesture of permission. It seemed to trigger something in her as if an electric current surged through her body.

She was trembling—moments ago, the sense of danger had surged, causing her to flood with adrenaline. She couldn't stop trembling, an involuntary reaction to the danger she'd just encountered. She gazed forward, her eyes filled with gratitude and infatuation, although nothing was there. In her eyes, her hero was present—a mysterious and charismatic Spider-Man. She could sense a connection, a mutual attraction between them. They were drawn to each other, drawing closer...

Her brain was overwhelmed, overrun by hormones and adrenaline, and everything in her—lips, hands, breath, and heart—urged her to do one thing: kiss him. No words, just kiss him. Slowly, she lowered his unseen mask. Spider-Man, hanging upside down in the air, initially wanted to stop her but sensed her trembling and hesitation. Eventually, he relented, not wishing to go against her wishes. She gently pulled down the mask to reveal his chin and lips. She continued to tremble as she leaned in closer. Their lips met, and between their cold lips, fiery passion exchanged...