"You'll love living here, it's very interesting," Allison, Elizabeth's young niece, said cheerfully as she bounced around in Emily's room.
Emily lay silent on the bed, seemingly uninterested in anything.
"Oh, by the way, this is Petey," Allison smiled warmly, handing the doll she brought with her to Emily.
Emily turned her head and faintly said, "Thank you," before sitting up and accepting the doll.
Upon observing the room Allison was drawn to the doll that was placed in the corner. Unable to resist, she picked it up and exclaimed, "It's beautiful. Does she have a name?"
However, Emily remained with her back turned, showing no reaction at all. Sensing that something was amiss, Allison put down the doll and asked, "You... don't like to talk much, do you?"
"You shouldn't have come here," Emily's voice sounded deep and eerie.
"Why?" Amy asked, puzzled.
Emily slowly turned around, her face looking ominous. She lifted the doll that Allison had given her to her head, and the doll's face had been twisted and disfigured. "You'll get hurt," she said ominously.
"Cut! Excellent!" David clapped his hands, and the scene was wrapped up in one take, a source of encouragement for everyone.
However, Scarlett nearly stumbled upon hearing the word "Cut." The oppressive and eerie feeling she had experienced from Angela just moments ago made her legs feel weak.
If the director hadn't called out in time, she might have ended up sitting on the floor. It was truly terrifying... But then again, wasn't this precisely what making a movie was all about?
Scarlett suddenly felt a rush of excitement. The movie-making process was undeniably fascinating, a whole different world compared to stage plays. She wanted to approach Angela and share her own experiences, but when she raised her head, she saw Angela still sitting quietly on the bed, her eyes distant, emanating an unsettling vibe.
If Al hadn't snapped her out of it, who knows what might have happened next.
Gazing into Jodie's azure eyes, the little girl had the impulse to confide her in, to share the troubles she had experienced during this period. Yet, as the words approached her lips, they were instinctively swallowed back. A voice seemed to repeat in her ears: Never reveal anything!
Thus, after a moment of silence, Angela smiled bitterly and said, "Jodie, you're not Clarice after all."
Jodie gazed at Angela and shrugged after a while. "Okay, I won't ask anymore, but I think if you need to you can talk to me anytime, alright?"
Just as she was about to ask what was going on, Jodie suddenly reached out and embraced her gently rubbing her face against Angela's.
Angela felt her face flush, and that instinctive feeling she had subconsciously rejected resurfaced again, though not as intense as before. She wanted to push Jodie away, but her body felt weak and powerless.
Then, she felt Jodie's lips lightly brush against her face, causing her breathing to quicken.
Jodie whispered softly in her ear, "I understand your struggles, Angela. I also know what you're trying to push away. From the moment we first met, I knew who you are and what you feel. So I want to tell you that some things can't be discarded just because you wish to. Instead of trying to cut them off, why not embrace them? Since they exist, they must have their own value."
Then, Angela felt Jodie gently touch her lips, and those deep blue eyes appeared again as if declaring, "Angela, we share the same soul!"
