A Glimmer of Death

The torrential rain furiously hit the tiles of the roof, causing an echo throughout the barn. An ominous mist seeped through the cracks of the wall, adding to the already frigid atmosphere.

The only source of warmth and comfort was the small campfire in the middle of the room. Two shadows were cast by its flames, one of which seemed significantly more subdued than the other.

The middle aged man was laying on his back, both hands shielding his face from the ill intentioned individual who stood before him.

“Please… please don’t do this! I’ve already told you, I-“

“Cut the bullshit, old man. It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat!” the woman barked back at him, readjusting her aim as she did so. The wrath in her eyes could stop an entire army dead in its tracks but the raspiness in her voice could seduce any man. Seduce any man to his demise that is.

Elena Storm took a few steps forward, and kicked one of the man hands away from his face, then proceeded to block it under her boot, slowly exerting more and more pressure.

The man let out a scream, but was soon shushed by the young woman.

“Keep a little dignity… a little dignity… ah damn it”

“Cut!”

As soon as the director ordered the camera man to stop rolling, a bell sounded in the background and the crew simultaneously turned off the rain and fog machines.

The producer rubbed his eyes brows and lazily got up from his chair, throwing the megaphone onto the makeshift table. He slowly made his way to the previously fierce woman, now a shy actress hiding behind the leather uniform and the fake handgun.

“Sara, Sara, Sara” the director shook his head, “remind me how many times we have to go through this scene?”

Sara Blake hesitated, knowing that her answer would just upset him even more. She looked down at her feet, occasionally glancing at her co star removing the straw off his jeans.

The director stood silently in front of her with his hands behind his back. The hubbub in the entire studio seemed to grow fainter and fainter, their attention was fully diverted onto the lead actress.

Sara cleared her voice and mustered the courage to look at her superior in the eyes, “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’m doing my best to act here.”

The director sneered, but his expression quickly changed into pure anger, “Well that’s exactly what you’re doing wrong! You’re not supposed to act! You’re supposed to be Elena Storm! Not Sara Blake pretending to be Elena Storm!”

Sara slowly nodded, not wanting to show in any way any form of disagreement.

“You know what miss Blake? I think we’re done for today,” he menacingly stated, “Yes everyone, we’re wrapping it up for today. We’ll continue tomorrow morning” he continued, facing his crew this time around.

Before walking back to his station, the director briefly looked back at the actress, oh so slightly leaning towards her.

“Don’t you make me regret this” he quietly said, making sure she heard every word.

Sara gulped and nodded once more. The director murmured something under his breath and dismissed the actress.

Her co worker being within earshot of their last exchange, went up to her and gave her the good old fashioned tap on the shoulder, clearly thinking that his act of kindness would help her or reassure her in any way. It didn’t.

Instead, Sara Blake sought comfort in her dressing room, slaloming between curious and non-oblivious crewmembers.

As she approached her dressing room, she noticed a glow under the door. The room usually bathed in darkness at this time of the day, why was the light turned on?

The actress cautiously approached the door then proceeded to slowly lower the door handle.

“Come in!” an all too familiar voice called out.

Right in front of her Hollywoodian mirror, sat her stunt double, casually flipping through the script of A Glimmer of Death, the movie that they both were working on.

“Stephany?” Sara expressed her surprise, “what-what are you doing here?”

Stephany didn’t care to look behind her to face Sara, instead, she provocatively placed both of her feet onto the vanity table.

“I’m just going through our script for tomorrow” she replied.

“Okay, well… I don’t want to offend you in any way but… why are you in my dressing room?” Sara innocently asked while leaning against the door frame; not because she felt relaxed, but mainly to hide her nervousness.

Stephany continued to look through the script. A smirk appeared when she landed on a particular page.

“Mm. I heard you had a little trouble with this part. It doesn’t count if you’re planning your own defeat!” she mockingly imitated the actress.

Sara Blake let out a forced laughter, “Yes… I guess it didn’t exactly turn out the way it should have. But tomorrow’s a new day, I’m sure it will turn out fine… at least I hope so”. Her lack of confidence always emerged as she spoke. A chink in her armour.

Stephanie flipped the script closed and threw it onto the vanity table.

“You haven’t heard, have you?”

“Haven’t heard what?” Sara worriedly asked.

The stunt double scoffed and got up from her chair, crossed her arms and slowly paced towards her co-worker.

“The director and I had a little chat and, after a little negotiation, he thinks that I may be suited for the lead” she bluntly announced.

Sara felt as if the world was going to crash down on her. The solidity of her career was comparable to the thin, frail piece of paper of a contract she complied to with three pen strokes.

“Why-what do you mean by that? I’ve gone through interviews, auditions and who knows how many hours of filming. You can’t replace me like that! You’re the stunt double. I swear if you spent the night with hi-“

“You’ve being filming for exactly three days, Sara. It is just as scrapable as salvageable, just with a different lead. And I don’t think it’s too wise to make assumptions” Stephanie responded, standing just two feet away from Blake.

Sara looked away from Stephanie for a brief moment, trying to recompose herself. It wasn’t the time to show any shape or form of vulnerability. But unfortunately for her, the stunt double caught onto that.

“But don’t worry Sara, tomorrow the director will do a trial. Technically, you’ll be given another chance, despite given a plethora of those throughout the week,” Stephanie said as she was about to head back out, “See you tomorrow, Elena Storm”

The door slammed shut.

The next day

Sara nibbled on her fingernails during the entirety of Stephany’s performance. She mentally nit-picked every flawed move and delivery, but upon glancing at the director on her right, she quickly started to question her thought process: he seemed unfazed by the small mistakes, his gaze was fixed on her, it was impossible to tell what truly went through his mind. But given his body language, it was bad news for the lead actress.

Sara leaned towards the director, unconsciously mimicking his prior day’s self.

“We don’t have a second stunt double do we?” she whispered.

The director scoffed, and slowly leaned as well towards Sara, all while his eyes being glued to the actors.

“If I recall correctly, you started off as a stunt double, didn’t you?” he whispered back.

Knowing what he was implying, Sara sat back in her chair without replying. Convinced that her career was over, she was almost ready to throw in the towel and walk away defeated. But before she could review her thoughts, the director signalled to her that it was her turn.

Sara nervously rubbed her hands together and recited in her mind the script like a poem. Just as she was going to make her way towards the small campfire, her co-star suddenly walked off set.

The crewmembers looked at each other and then at the director.

“Let him be!” he said in an annoyed fashion, “Stephany, pretty please, could you briefly replace our dear colleague, because we simply don’t have all day”

Stephany didn’t seem to exalted about the idea but went on with it. Sara couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on the corner of her mouth.

The lights dimmed.

The torrential rain started to furiously hit the tiles of the roof.

The ominous mist seeped once more through the cracks of the wall

Stephanie rolled onto her back, with her hands in front of her face, quickly trying to remember the lines of the co-star.

“Please… please don’t do this! I’ve already told you, I-“

“Cut the bullshit, old man. It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat!” the woman barked back at her, readjusting her aim as she did so. The wrath in her eyes were fuelled by her determination and the raspiness in her voice was what differentiated her from your average actor.

Sara Blake took a few steps forward, and kicked one of Stephany’s hands away from her face, then proceeded to block it under her boot, slowly exerting more and more pressure.

She could feel her heel digging into the straw filled ground, all while feeling the sole of her foot squeezing her co-worker’s wrist.

Stephany let out a scream, but was soon shushed by the young woman.

“Keep a little dignity for the amount of time you’ve got left. Screaming serves no purpose, you’re merely entertaining the silence of the night. And before, sir, you ask who I truly am:  Ask yourself, what has brought you in the situation you have found yourself in, in present time”

Sara Blake then released the pressure off the girl’s wrist and crouched next to her, slowly placing the plastic gun underneath Stephany’s chin.

“Now, remind me what you’ve already told me?” she said in a menacing fashion.

Stephany glanced at the director, and the latter abruptly stood up in response.

“Cut!”