The night was as thick as ink. A single lamp hung from the ceiling, and in its dim, faint light, the worn floorboards and peeling wallpaper seed to fester, releasing a suffocating sll into the air.
It was quiet, unnaturally so, a silence so profound the air itself felt frozen.
Suddenly, the dim light flickered, and in the shadow creeping into the corner, sothing seed to stir.
The door moved without a breeze, swinging open without warning. In the unnaturally silent house, the sound was especially piercing.
Thump-thump-thump!
Through the open doorway, the sound of objects crashing echoed into the room.
The light began to flicker faster, its brightness shifting erratically as shadows danced across the walls.
The door groaned again—its hinges seemingly coated in rust—making a sound like fingernails scraping across a tal plate, a noise that set one's teeth on edge.
Slam!
With a resonant bang, the door to the room crashed shut.
The door was sealed so tightly it seed it might never open again.
No figures were visible in the flickering light, yet the sound of footsteps echoed with an eerie rhythm.
In the flickering light, the footsteps grew closer and closer, finally resolving into a distinct, heavy tread.
Clack—clack—clack!
The flickering light abruptly died, plunging the room into an abyssal darkness where nothing could be seen.
Sparks flared from the ceiling fixture, and the light suddenly blazed back to life, brighter than before.
A shadow appeared on the wall—a humanoid shadow. It was unclear if the shape belonged to the figure casting it or was an illusion created by the tattered wallpaper, but the silhouette looked strange, concave in so places and bulging in others, making it impossible to tell if it was even human.
A sound arose, like the grinding of teeth in a nightmare.
It was a chilling sound that sent shivers down the spine.
It was like soone being dragged back and forth across a washboard until their bones splintered into fragnts.
From the corner ca the sudden, sharp sound of breathing. A little girl with short blonde hair was crouched there, her hand clamped tight over her mouth. She must have been hiding for a long ti, but now, she could no longer contain the terror in her heart.
The shadow on the wall silently turned to face the little girl in the corner.
“Ah—!”
A scream of terror finally erupted, shattering the room’s oppressive silence.
The cara slid back on its dolly, and Jas Wynn, seated behind it, exclaid, “Cut!”
But caught up in the montum, the little girl kept screaming.
“Lily!” a woman’s voice called out, tinged with a French accent.
Vanessa Paradis hurried over to the girl and helped her to her feet. “The filming is over.”
Coming to her senses, Lily Depp first gave a wooden nod, then broke into a smile. “Mom, that was fun.”
Matthew walked over as well.
Vanessa Paradis looked surprised. “A scene that scary was fun?”
Noticing Matthew, Lily Depp fell silent, stepped away from Vanessa Paradis, and went to stand beside him.
“I’m thirsty,” she murmured.
The house where they were filming was Matthew’s forr residence in the northern suburbs of Burbank, so naturally, he knew his way around. He went to the tap in the living area, filled a glass with water, and brought it to the little girl.
Lily Depp took the glass and had a sip, smiling sweetly. “Thank you, Godfather.” She took another drink, then asked, “Did I do a good job?”
“You did great,” Matthew replied with an encouraging nod.
Today was the first day of shooting for The Deception, and Lily Depp was set to film her part. As it happened, Matthew wasn’t needed on the set of Fast Five, so he’d co over to watch.
Lily Depp tilted her little face up and asked, “Really?”
Matthew’s tone beca very serious. “Of course, it’s true.”
Honestly, he hadn’t expected Lily Depp to perform so well.
From behind them ca the displeased voice of Vanessa Paradis. “Yes, Lily is wonderful. I’m so proud of her.”
Hearing this, Matthew turned his head to see Vanessa Paradis approaching. “What were you and Depp thinking?”
Matthew scratched his head, confused.
“Lily isn’t even ten years old!” Vanessa Paradis glanced around, and seeing that no one was paying them any attention, she lowered her voice. “Do you really think it’s appropriate for her to be filming scenes like this?”
Matthew hadn’t considered it before, but he now realized that he and Depp had overlooked sothing crucial: her age.
“I’m sorry.”
Vanessa Paradis was only a little upset, not the type to be unreasonable. On the contrary, she was quite tolerant—otherwise, she never would have been with Johnny Depp for so long.
She shook her head. “Forget it. I’ll just stay on set with Lily to supervise.”
Matthew nodded gently. “Vanessa, I promise the next film won’t be like this.”
Of course, he wasn’t cut out for raising children. He was, by all accounts, an unqualified godfather.
Matthew chatted with Lily Depp and Vanessa Paradis for a few more monts, then saw Jas Wynn waving him over and went to join him.
“There are so parts of the house we need to alter properly,” Jas said. “It might damage the original decor.”
Since he had already agreed to let the crew film here, Matthew had considered these issues. “No problem,” he said directly. “Do what you need to do, just don’t touch the main fra of the house.”
Jas quickly replied, “We won’t. We’re just changing the decor.”
Matthew watched the playback of the scene they’d just shot and had to admit that when it ca to creating a frightening atmosphere, Jas was truly gifted.
Creating an atmosphere of dread often didn’t require exaggerated screams or flying gore—a clap of thunder in a silent room was usually far more effective.
The crew fild in the room for half the day, with Matthew observing from the sidelines, careful not to interfere with Jas’s work. Over the course of the morning, he also noted that while Lily Depp might not be on par with so professional child stars, her performance was vastly better than it had been during her audition.
Moreover, Lily Depp wasn’t the least bit scared by the frightening vibes Jas was creating; on the contrary, she was fascinated by them.
Perhaps Lily Depp would beco the next Jamie Lee Curtis, a true scream queen.
Soon, the crew moved outside to film. With all the windows in the house covered by black curtains, the interior felt gloomy, but the world outside was bathed in sunlight.
But in that bright sunshine, Matthew saw a middle-aged man with a pale face and a somber expression. He was probably part of the film crew.
“Are you Mr. Horner?”
The middle-aged man took the initiative to speak to Matthew. “The owner of this house?”
Matthew glanced at him, noting his abnormally white face, and nodded. “I’m Matthew Horner.”
The middle-aged man looked quite serious. “I’m Brad Tesla, an exorcist.”
Matthew said casually, “Hello.”
The man certainly had a last na worth bragging about.
Tesla spoke with an air of both reminder and warning. “A murder took place in this house!”
Matthew, just as casually, nodded. “Over a decade ago.”
“The deceased was a young woman.” Tesla’s pale face and grim expression were masterfully crafted. “Because she was murdered, and her killer was never properly punished, the victim’s soul could not ascend to heaven. It can only linger here.”
He suddenly pointed to a patch of ivy that had withered from neglect. “Look there. That plant has been afflicted by the victim’s resentnt. Its life force is fading.”
Matthew didn’t reply.
Tesla added, “After years of accumulating, the victim’s grievances are about to turn into a vengeful spirit. If it isn’t dealt with in ti, it will latch onto the owner of the house!”
“You an it will latch onto ?” Matthew asked.
“Yes, I am certain of it. Mr. Horner, you are already carrying the cursed aura of this Malevolent Spirit. If you delay any longer, it will surely begin to act.”
Matthew was montarily speechless. For an atheist like him, this was all utter nonsense.
How could a man who didn’t even believe in the gods and buddhas of heaven be expected to believe this?
Seeing Matthew’s silence, Tesla assud his words were having an effect. He had spent many years in Los Angeles and Hollywood dealing with celebrities, and he’d found that the more uneducated the star, the more potent his words were.
“Mr. Horner, I urge you to take this seriously!” Tesla said, his tone grave. “As an exorcist, it is my duty to warn you and to help you purge the poison of this resentful spirit!”
He delivered the line with an air of righteous, impartial duty.
Matthew paused for a mont, then asked, “And if you don’t deal with it, will it be dangerous?”
Tesla replied, “In its mildest form, it will affect your career. At its worst, it will threaten your life!”
He reminded him again, “Mr. Horner, please, allow
to help you! It is an exorcist’s duty.”
Matthew gave him a strange look. “A duty, huh?”
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