Previously on Beautiful Minds: Zane has been rechecking the evidence they’ve gathered from the Memorial but still stuck at a dead end. Thanks to his student, he’s able to pick up new pieces to complete a new theory that he shares with his sister. It would seem that the message the Fallen Angels left behind is more than what it seems.
Episode 3: Stay in Contact.
Jill.
Zane brought up a good point. I can’t believe for once he has something more solid to contribute than I did. But then again… I am more concerned why the Fallen Angels contacted him and not me? Or is it contacting him first before me?
“Jill.” The assistant director calls my attention.
I smile at him and he approaches me with a script in his hand. “What is it, Mr. Jones?”
“The next scene we’ll work on. We have a couple more stunts for Selena.”
“Of course. What do we have?” I entertain him.
He flipped the first couple pages and stood beside me to show the parts where I matter. I see the yellow highlights and red circles across the page.
Mr. Jones is a very patient and detailed man. He speaks for his father, the director of the show we are working on.
I’ve been working with them for more than 3 years now. I alternately do stunts for their main characters or their side characters. It depends where they see me fit. I can adjust to their demands, I don’t demand too much money and I don’t complain about the stunts they want me to do. It’s why they love me and my performance.
Zane and I agreed to live a mediocre life to not attract too much attention while we investigate after our work hours.
“Did you get all that?” he asked.
I nod at him. “Yep. I’ll be here first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Good. Clyde here can teach you some of the basics. Fighting scenes are tricky but there are some stunts too dangerous for Selena.”
He snapped his fingers, signaling for a man of good stature and posture to join us. Clyde has blue eyes, dark blonde hair and fitted shirt and jeans.
“Clyde, this is Jill. She’s our stuntwoman for Selena. She’ll be taking on the extreme action scenes.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” Clyde reached for my hand.
He has a firm grip. “Nice to meet you too.”
“I will leave you two to it. Now where’s Selena? We have a lot to discuss!” Mr. Jones announced to the rest of the crew.
“I think she’s taking a break in her room.” One of the crew replied.
“Excuse me.” And he leaves us to search for the star of the show.
Selena had a recent accident with one of the stunts she tried to do as herself. Which is why as much as possible most of the extreme parts go to me for her to keep filming the rest of the movie.
Clyde chuckles. “So we’ll be working on breaking glass, jumping off buildings, propelling from explosions…”
“It all sounds fun. We are gonna work on basic fighting scenes too?”
“Yes well, there would be some flipping and tumbling and spinning. Best we start at the gym. Maybe a couple of hours before you sign out?” Clyde offers.
“Sure. I’ll see you at 5.”
We part ways and I head to the trailer that I share with another fellow stuntwoman. She isn’t here today so I have it all for myself. I hurry to get changed. Putting on a sports bra and wearing comfortable clothes.
I grab a pair of socks from my drawer and I noticed there is a keychain over the pile of socks and underwear. I stare at it for a long while. Examining it closely just to be sure.
My eyes zoom in on the keychain.
Confirmed!
It’s an angel keychain, glossy ceramic, painted of pastel colors. Two little angels facing each other, both of them holding a choir book and musical notes coming from their mouths.
When did this get here?
If this is Zane’s idea of a prank, it’s not funny. I know he’s been itching to drop by the Harbor Market to investigate the stalls and vendors that sell keychains of the same sort.
This isn’t even new to us. Sometimes he couldn’t really help himself with his pranks.
“Zane?” I called him.
If he’s hiding nearby with his phone ready to take pictures of my reaction. I know he wouldn’t let this slide.
“Zane, this isn’t funny.” I cautiously stand straight. My eyes darted to possible hiding places within the trailer.
Behind the closet. Behind the bed. Under the bed. I walk towards the door and I open it. No one. There is no one out here.
I am having second thoughts if it really is Zane. Is it possible that… that it’s them? The Fallen Angels? Making contact with me?
The crew walked around like normal. No one jogging away suspiciously, no one wearing a hood, a mark or a cap to hide their identities. They’re good. Really good.
I walk back inside and lock the door so I can examine the keychain they left behind. I made sure to put gloves on before I touched it. Unlike Zane who would touch literally any evidence with his bare hands. I’m careful.
It’s lighter than the one that they gave to Zane.
Why all the trouble to leave me this?
I tilt it from one side to another to see if it has any writings like it does to Zane’s angel keychain. Nothing. No embossed text. No abbreviations to decode. It’s smoothly coated in paint.
This time I lift the keychain up and let the light shine on it. Maybe there’s hidden marks, inks, symbols… anything at all.
“Come on…” I mumble. “You can’t just leave me something so worthless.”
What does it even mean?
It’s nothing out of the ordinary. Just a simple little angel keychain really.
“Jill?”
My roommate’s voice startled me.
She knocks on my door when I don’t respond.
“Jill, is everything okay?”
“Yeah! I’m coming!”
I put everything back in the drawer and I threw the keychain back inside. I open my door and smile at Jamie to avoid suspicion. I forgot that I am just wearing a sports bra.
“What’s with the get-up?” she questioned me, a smirk across her face.
“Shut up. I thought you’re not coming today.”
“Oh you know, I heard Clyde is giving lessons.” She enters the trailer and I sidestep her to exit.
“Goodbye Jamie.” I wave at her to escape her judging eyes.
“He’s hot!” she shouts and I pretend not to hear.
Whew, that was a close call. I should hide the keychain in a safer place next time.
Photo by Luigi Boccardo on Unsplash
