IT WAS a normal day.
Lancey woke up facing her computer as she stayed late at night to worked on the scenes they had filmed yesterday.
A nightmare?
She thought as she roamed her eyes around her van. She could hear the staff outside busily moving around the set to ready for the first scene of the day.
An unconscious sigh escape from her pale and trembling lips. She could feel the cold sweat on her forehead as she closed her eyes and tried to control her uneven breathing. She gulped. Her body stiffened up when she felt the same dryness on her throat just like in her dream.
Lancey immediately stood up and went to her mini refregirator, grab some water and gulp it down as if her life depends on it. She didn't care even if her clothes are starting to get wet as some of the cold water rolled down from her lips.
A knock on her door made her drop the bottle she was holding.
"Direk?" said a voice from behind the door. "The set is ready, the main actors are already here, shall we start the shoot?" Lancey just stared at the door not knowing what to do. Her mind is not functioning well. She can't possibly work in her current state.
Right, she needed to rest, she thought. She thinks that her nightmare is due to overworking and overthinking over the past few days. Adding the lack of sleep and stress.
She needed a day off. After having a bad dream, she badly wants to see her family. Immediately.
She was about to instruct her assistant to let the assistant director take over the set but for some unknown reason, her voice refuse to come out. She just keep opening and closing her mouth like a fish.
What the hell? Why can't she speak? What's happening? Lancey thought.
"Direk?"
"Yes, I'll be there in a minute." she felt her lips move.
Bewildered, Lancey's hand covered her own mouth.
Why?
She roam her eyes around the van trying to find something/anything that can explain what the hell is happening to her.
Her eyes catch a glimpse of her cellphone beside her computer.
She needed to call her family. She wanted ro hear their voice.
But instead of walking towards her cellphone, Lancey found herself in the bathroom, washing her face and getting ready for the shoot.
Her body move on their own without her commanding it. As if it has a life of its own.
Is she being possessed? What's going on to her? So many question keep circling her mind, unfortunately, not even one was answered.
- - - - -
"If I only knew that it'll be the last time I'll hear her voice, I wouldn't hesitate to run onto her when she begged me to come." Levor uttered with a heartbroken expression as he stand outside the hospital room where Yzabel is staying. "If I..." he stopped to swallow the lamp on his throat as his eyes start to dye in red and his lips tremble. "If I could only turn back the time...If I could only... change what I have done..." tears started to fall on his handsome face as despair swallow his heart and mind "It's all my fault."
"CUT! GOOD JOB! Ready the set for the next scene!"
The whole crew sigh in relief when they hear the voice of their director.
They've been shooting the scene for who knows how long and who knows how many times, their director just seemed not contented with this particular scene even if they think that there is nothing wrong with the acting.
They've never seen Lancey act this way so everyone was feeling awkward and tense for they don't know how to react and appease her.
Should they ask her if something is wrong? Or should they just shut their mouth and go with the flow?
On the other hand, Lancey's mind has been in total turmoil as she herself don't understand why she can't control her own body. The unusual situation is making her confuse and leaving her in a bad mood.
Especially when they needed to shoot this particular scene. The scene was so familiar. It's irritating her. She don't want to remember her nightmare afterall.
It seems that even if she can't control her body, her emotions still has an effect on how her body reacts.
As her body started to stand up, she felt her phone vibrating on her pocket. She fished her phone out and saw that her father is calling her.
Her mind stop functioning for a second and her hands tremble so slightly as she stare on her phone. She felt her heart squeeze as she remember what happened on her nightmare.
No. She shouldn't feel that way. It was all but a nightmare afterall. Yes. A very terrible one.
She first took a deep breath after she made up her mind and then pressed the answer button.
"Hello?"
"Lancey! You finally answered!" her father's voice rung out. She could hear her mother's voice at the background as her mother scold her sister about something.
"Sorry Dad, I didn't notice that you've been calling. I was busy in our shoot for the movie."
"It's okay Lancey, anyways are you not really going home? It's your birthday afterall. It wouldn't hurt to take a break even for a day."
She look at her phone to see the date and sure enough, it was her birthday. She shook her head not believing that she forgot about her own birthday.
Her father was right. She definitely needed a break. Yes, she should cancel their afternoon shoot for today and go home.
"But Dad..."
But she can't speak the words she wanted to say. Her lips moved on their own.
"Your mom will not stop sulking for weeks if you won't come now. She's been excited and even cooked for you."
She closed her eyes and bit her lips. She don't know what to do. Even if she wanted to go home, she just can't. First, no matter what she do, she can't control her own body. And lastly the deadline is nearing. There's only a month left before the premiere of the movie. They got a lot to edit. They can't stop and waste time for other things.
As a director, she can't just leave the responsibility to her subordinates.
"I'm sorry..."
She heard her father sighed in disappointment on the other line. "Okay, I'll try to talk to your mom, but you need to go home tomorrow and bring something to appease your mother. You know how she is."
"Yes! Thanks Dad! You're really the best dad in the whole world! Love you!"
"Stop with the flattery." her dad chuckled "Okay, I guess I needed to hung up now, I don't want to prolonged disturb you when you're already busy as it is."
"You are never a disturbance Dad, rememb--"
"Direk, the set is ready for the next scene."
She turned to the one who spoke, it was Max, her assistant.
"Not a disturbance? Really?" her dad tease while laughing. She can't help herself but to smile amidst the uneasiness she's been feeling.
"Okay bye, see you tomorrow. Don't even think on backing out or else I'll join your mom and sulk for weeks."
"Yes Dad, don't worry."
"Bye Lancey, I love y-"
"Direk, sorry for the intrusion but we need to start asap. Miss Fuentez still have a shoot for her other drama." said Max.
"Bye Dad!" she immediately hang up and turn towards the set.
On the back of her mind, there's a voice that keep on saying that she needed to go home.
The uneasiness keeps lingering but she ignored it all.
Afterall, a mere dream is different from reality.
- - - - -
She fumbled with the key as she tried to open the door of her car.
Tears keep on streaming down her face. Lancey knew what will happen next. She knew it too well.
She now understand why she can't control her body. It was because this is not the reality, but a memory manifesting in her dreams. The memory of that day she lost her family. The day she lost everything.
Her heart was crying as she saw herself get in the car and drove like crazy. Her hands gripping the wheel so tight her hand is starting to turn white.
She can feel her mind crushing down. Her vision blurring as tears kept on sliding down her face.
Her whole body is shaking from fear.
Fear of losing her family.
Tears flow freely along her cheeks as she maneuver the car as fast as she could, ignoring the traffic signs along the way. She can hear the beeping of cars as other drivers tried to avoid her reckless driving.
She didn't care. All she could think about is to go home as fast as she can to save her family from the looming tragedy.
A tragedy she knew she cannot stop.
She saw herself prayed with all her heart.
"Please, Lord. Please I'm begging you. Don't take my family away."
She smiled bitterly in her mind because...
Sadly.
She knew.
Her prayer wasn't heard.