In The Dark Wood

Darkness in the Appellation robbed the sight like a blindfold, inhibiting any perception of the woods and stretching to the heavens. At this time of night, anyone who found themselves among the trees would be lost in its labyrinth. Its icy grasp choked the mountainside, leaving the air so thick even the stars were drowned out.

Weaving in and out of the trees was a man, body gasping for air as he put on his best show for his small camcorder. Throat dry and body covered in droplets of sweat, he ran for his pickup at the end of the gravel road leading deep into the wood. The man wasn’t anticipating seeing his costar, Jessica, so soon in the scene, but he improvised well enough for the camera. Jasper thought back on his performance in between each crunch of leaves on the forest floor, cursing silently with every sharp stone that would poke at his feet through the bottom of his shoes. They managed to capture an authentic reaction Jessica surprising him with her jump scare, but what man wouldn’t be surprised to find a woman covered in blood lunge at him in the dark? Jasper could do without any more surprises like that, though.

He neared the white pickup. It seemed the night was full of surprises for him. The truck’s engine muttered a soft, satisfied tune as his feet carried him closer to the driverside door. He turned the truck off before he left for the scene, right? Jasper wasn’t sure anymore. Jasper reached for the door to his truck.

The cabin lights came on before he could tug the door open, and a man with a devilish bandanna around his face stared back at him through dark glasses. Jasper made sure to catch the man on camera, then dropped the camera to his side. “Damn it, why did you scare me like that?! No one said you’d be waiting here.”

The man in the truck looked him over, raising one brow. “Get in the car and lose the camera.”

Jasper frowned. “Are you sure?”

“We don’t have much time, kid.”

Jasper suspected this was part of the scene, but he didn’t tell the man he was no longer recording. Jasper left the truck to sit the camcorder in-between two tree roots near the gravel road. At least here it wouldn’t accidentally run it over by any of the production guys when they came to retrieve it. It was unlike them to leave equipment in the woods, but for the aesthetic he turned on the recording, pointing it towards the back of the vehicle.

Jasper left the device, then approached the passenger side door. He sat down inside, smiling at the driver. “I’m just letting you know you have to answer to Ed if the camera gets destroyed.”

The driver didn’t respond, putting the truck in drive. He throttled the gas, spinning rocks out from behind them. Jasper sighed.

Method actors.