Tomorrow morning, at Emerald Tower…
Snow, Jojo, and Vika have stood by when Mr. Lucas from Vivaldi Co came and pick them up at Fashion Blast. Meanwhile, the personal guards assigned by Cristan also escorted the small group to the location. Cristan will catch up later because he needs to accompany Great Grandpa for a medical check-up in the hospital.
Soon, their flight took off and landed at the airport safely.
...............
At Mirror Blue Lake area, other teams had stood by already. But unfortunately, the weather doesn't seem well that day. The sky was cloudy and the wind blows hard and bone-chilling. The mist appeared all over the lake's surface. Luckily, they had been well-prepared since this morning. It's just a matter of time and luck until the morning sun appears and the mist gradually vanished.
Bryan was included in one of them that was assigned there. What's more, he is the main photographer. His job is even more important because he is in charge of directing the style and the one that would choose the best spots for the photo location.
Bryan seemed a bit nervous that day even though other people didn't notice his weirdness. He still well-remembered Linfey's threat in other night before. If Bryan can't "manage" an accident during the photoshoot, then she would leak the video through social media.
Bryan gulped nervously and busy cursing at himself inwardly since "the trap" that he has fallen into it easily. How stupid he is. Because of his fatigue at that time, he lose his defense and alertness. If something was too good to be true, it can't be right!!
There's something wrong behind it for sure and he had taken the bait.
Damn!!
For a fashion photographer like him, "accidents at work" is commonly happening and are quite often for the models who doing an outdoor photoshoots. And most of the time, the "fault" will be put on the model's behalf because she or he didn't follow the instruction properly that were given by the photographer before.
Bryan took another deep breath. Seeing Snow that under strictly supervised by the guards, Bryan realized that he can't act recklessly when planning "the accident". The situation is dilemmatic for him. To be honest, he unwilling to do this at all, but under Linfey's threats, he utterly speechless and defenseless.
"Are you alright, Bryan?" An assistant asked about his condition when he saw Bryan's pale face and bean-sweating even though the weather is extremely cold that day. He also looked unusually nervous at that time. Not someone that he used to know before. During the photoshoot, Bryan always being fun and relax in the location.
"Yeah, Don't worry. I'm fine..." Bryan replied to him casually and force a smile on his face.
Damn it!
He needs to find a way so he could complete his task as soon as possible. After discussing and walking around for a while around the lake to find the best spot, Bryan finally finds a hidden spot fascinatingly stunning and at the same time…. deadly dangerous.
The local people named it Devil's Pit. This area is located on a small island in the middle of the lake. There is a hole jutting into the lake there. The hole can fit one person only and is often used as a favorite spot to take pictures because there are plenty of quartz crystals that formed naturally like a royal throne. If someone takes a photo with the right costume, then the photo will look gorgeously alluring and magical. It's as if we were brought into a fantasy world. The hole's position is also located in a cave decorated with lumen light where it comes from arachnocampa luminosa worms that glows beautifully in turquoise blue light.
But the problem is, even though this place is stunningly beautiful, the short trip from the lakeside to the island also not that easy. The currents and winds unpredictable and thick fog often mislead the sight are common facts that couldn't be ignored at all. But, Bryan thinks these unfavorable situations are beneficial.
Shortly, he instructed his assistant to start the photo shoot as soon as possible.
.................
Arissa, Jojo, and Vika are giggling and chatting when an assistant approached them and told Snow to come with him immediately. Jojo and Vika still shivering because of the cold even though they had worn layers of jackets that covered their bodies.
"Eh, it's only Snow? How about Vika? She also should come with her…" Jojo asked in surprise look because Vika was supposed in charge of applying makeup to Snow and be her assistant to fit costumes for the photoshoot.
Gradually, the assistant t explained that Vika should start applying the makeup to Snow and prepare the costumes that going to use for the photoshoot. And for the rest, they would handle it personally.
Jojo frowned in deep confusion.
Strange….
There is something amiss here. His guts told him of something wrong here. A hidden danger lies within. This preparation completely beyond his expectation. Although there are several teams set up on the spot, a personal assistant still needed to stand by at the model's side and getting ready to help her and provide with all her needs.
Feeling that something wasn't right, Jojo slowly called Cristan while Vika started applying some makeup on Arissa's face.
"Cris, you have to come here. At once! Hurry…. There's something is wrong here.." Jojo whispered carefully on the phone while he sneaks peek. Afraid if somebody can hear him out.
After all, Cristan is Snow's manager and he has every right to be informed about all things that are related to his job, including if there are some other things or slight changes that might occur outside the original plan.
After more or less 2 hours, Arissa finally ready and rushed to the location with Bryan's crew. But, Jojo insisted that Vika must go and accompany Arissa along with 2 bodyguards whereas he would stay on the lakeside and wait for Cristan's arrival with the others.
The assistant that called Snow before finally relented.
Shortly, the seven of them finally arrived on the island at the lake and the chill is even colder now. The whole photoshoot won't take long, maybe around 15 minutes or less, due to the extreme temperatures and for the safety of all the crew.
After all, in the end, Bryan had devised a cunning ploy so once, after they all arrived, only he, Snow, and an assistant would be entered the cave and do the photoshoot. At that time, it would be easier to run his evil wits.
Quickly, once they arrived on the island, Vika took out some of the costumes needed for the photoshoot and helped Arissa get ready in a minute. Arissa also moved fast although when she took off her jacket and started wearing her costume immediately. Her body was engulfed and shivers by the cold. However, she still needs to be professional while doing her job as a model.
Keeping her straight face, Arissa entered the cave with Bryan and one of his assistants. She's wearing a thin costume for the photo shoot today. Gradually, white steam billowed out of her nose and mouth. Her lips began to shiver as her body temperature struggled to withstand the coldness inside the cave. Bryan immediately instructed her to pose and captured it with his camera.
After 5 minutes and Bryan has managed to capture some of the nice poses with perfect quality, Bryan started to run his "plan ". He told Arissa to step down into the Devil's Pit and dip her legs up to her calves and then, take another pose again.
Until now, they had been in the cave for 15 minutes. Seeing Arissa was asked to pose unusually and watch how much she devastatingly try to hang on from the freezing coldness, the assistant's brow furrowed in confusion and warned Bryan to stop the photoshoot. But Bryan ignored her and act deaf while his wicked heart wearing a smile. Vika has been waiting outside patiently but after she is waiting according to due time and no one comes out from the cave, she becomes suspicious and rushed into the cave. But once she was in, she looks at Arissa that still pose while her face become paler in the next minute and her lips start turning blue.
In an instant, panic overtook her!!!
There's something wrong here!!!
Spontaneously, her dangerous instincts alerted her!
Even though she already dressed in thick clothes, Vika still shivering in cold greatly, especially Arissa that only wearing a one-layer dress! Plus, some of her limbs would dip in icy lake water!!
She could die because of hypothermia!!
.........….
The coldness is utterly freezing….
Arissa had just opened her mantel and starting to dip it into the lake. It just a few minutes and her body starting shiver and her legs felt numb. Since back then, Arissa never had such a good resistance, especially if it related to cold weather. Moreover, amid extreme temperatures like this. Her breath haggard and she struggles to breathe normally. Trying her best to against the extreme temperature all around her body. The white steam that came out of his nose and mouth rapidly increased and her body is shaking greatly at this temperature. His teeth chattered and gritted as her face turned paler and paler. His lips gradually turned into blue and her breath hitched. But there is no instruction from Bryan to start and stop shooting even though he saw her miserable condition. Arissa is only have one choice then!
Endure!!
................
Seeing her condition, Bryan counted the time inwardly. He only needs to wait a bit longer… soon….
She is trembling. Her legs and arms shake hard because of the coldness and she has to hold her own weight. Against the earth's gravity.
He knows that she can't survive that long. At least in the next one minute or 2 minutes from now on, her body would stumble and fall helplessly into the icy lake water beneath. Moreover, certainly, even though if she survived today, her limbs would suffer severely from frostbite* and her career as a pro model would be finalized. It's a closure. For her. For him.
Because to treat patients that have got frostbite, there is no other way except amputate the areas that had been infected badly.
Through this way, Bryan finally had succeeded Linfey's demands at him before.
I'm so sorry, Snow…
I wish we could meet up in a better circumstance but….
Unfortunately, we didn't…
...............
She can't hold on anymore.
Her grip loosened and slowly, her body plunged into the cold water. A bone-chilling cold stung her entire body. Numb her. She wanted to swim up to the surface but seems like her power had drained up and was sucked by the coldness around her. The weightiness of the costume that she wears also made her unable to move her limbs. Slowly, her body began to sink downwards, attracted by the earth's gravity.
She drowned…
Water started to fill her lungs…
Just as when she is thinking of giving up, suddenly, there is the sound of a loud splash above her!
A black figure swam swiftly towards her and pulled her immediately above with full force. Resignedly, she allowed herself to be embraced by the stranger while he swam to the surface.
In no time, both heads popped up and Arissa feel the oxygen filling of her lungs once again.
"HARPPPGHHHH...…."