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A Different Look
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2024-04-08 21:00:33A quick fade to black opened to a messy office, with a few desks covered in phones, screens, papers, paper cups, even empty takeout packaging. The walls didn’t leave room to wonder what it was: they were pretty much covered in Haunters big posters from every season, plus two long shelves with plaques and awards. It was Brandon’s small production company headquarters.
A handheld camera —What? I was able to tell it was handheld and not on a tripod?— showed Brandon at the biggest desk, of course, leaning back on a big black spinning armchair. Standing opposite him across the desk was Jeff, his second-in-command producer. Brandon looked up at the camera with that particular smirk that used to make me giggle first, and then jump on him to kiss him. Oh, those good old times when I could act out on both impulses.
“So here’s the deal. It’s September 2023 and we’re scheduled to film our season ten finale at Blotter Manor
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The image faded to black, but instead of opening to the actual beginning of his visit to the Manor, it was Isaac, Ricky and Ted on screen. They were in the east parlor at night. Isaac was sitting on the couch under the window, with his two teammates in the armchairs, flanking him, and he looked straight into the camera to speak, as the other two nodded their agreement to his words.“By now, all of you must know this is Brandon’s last episode with Haunters. And it’s my last as well. We know he wants all of you to see him like you’ve never seen him before, even if it casts a negative light on him. But no story is complete unless you hear what the rest of the people involved have to say about it. That’s why we’re doing this.” He rubbed his shaved head, glancing at the other two, who smirked and raised their eyebrows. “He will most likely kick our sorry bleep from here to Sunday as soon as the broadcast ends. But w
Last Updated : 2024-04-09Haunter Intermission
The broadcast cut to the theater, where people jumped to their feet for a standing ovation, whistling and cheering turned to the box seat.Brandon didn’t react even when his friends patted his shoulders, smiling, apparently congratulating him. By his side, Serena seemed to remember he was still there and covered his hand on the armrest with hers. Brandon stiffened, like jolting awake, grabbed her hand and stood up, heading down the steps with her.I let out a shaky sigh, pressing my eyes. Kujo licked my face, pulling a reluctant giggle out of my lips.“I love him so much, my boy,” I muttered. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do if he doesn’t let me stay with him.”“Brandon love too.”The stream cut back to the gossip trio as I took in deep shaky breaths, struggling not to cry as hard as I needed. They were saying something about things making so much sense, now that they’d seen
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Talking about the second episode is really hard for me. It still brings tears to my eyes whenever I watch it again. It showed everything I already told you about, from the second day of cleansings on, but from his perspective. And boy, there couldn’t be more contrasting perspectives.And this is what I mean when I talk about his guts.Yeah, for the TV drama effect, you may say. For the redemption ark, you may say. To go out with a big loud bang, you may say. Sure. Maybe. But to get there, he exposed himself down to the last dirty detail. And that takes guts. A lot of guts.They showed a quick overview of the two cleansings that day, especially how we’d all ended them, intercutting with Isaac’s interview, as he explained how they’d gotten bad and worse.They cut to black, so no images would distract the audience from Brandon’s next words:“But the worst was still to come.”They faded in, to Brandon an
Last Updated : 2024-04-10Haunter The Demons We Breed
“Here she comes,” Brandon said, his voice reflecting exactly the same as his face. “The little witch comes to protect the demon. Not this time.”I felt Kujo brush his face against mine and realized I was holding my breath, still shaking from head to toe. His warm touch helped me snap out of it.Brandon kept taunting and provoking Kujo until I got there, trying to burn him with his holy water. And then he’d come at me, triggering Kujo’s reaction. After Kujo attacked him, hurting me in the process, I saw him jump back to his feet and try to fight Kujo with his bear fists, punching through him like a madman, almost stomping on me, ‘cause I was pretty much unconscious at his feet. Amy stormed down the stairs as Isaac managed to pull him away from me, and forced the camera into his hands to carry me up the stairs in his arms, while Amy kept Brandon at a safe distance.“Kujo mad.”“But y
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Brandon walked across the Manor garden in the sunset, hands in his pockets, looking around absentmindedly as he spoke.“I had to watch the footage to actually remember what had happened, and her words shocked me. She called me a puppet. She knew what was going on. Back then, I only understood they wouldn’t let me get to her, especially when Isaac turned his back on me. I couldn’t believe it. He’d betrayed me! My best friend! How powerful could this demon be to turn the man who had been my best friend for the last twenty-five years against me? I was trapped, all alone. I might have to fight for my life.” He looked at the camera. “You must be wondering if I stayed. The answer is yes. Why?” He let out a bitter chuckle. “The truth is I have no idea.” He shrugged. “I was so out of my mind that night, I can count at least half a dozen reasons why I stayed. And none of them make any sense.”They cut back to the
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I sneaked out of the sleeping bag the moment Brandon left his seat.“Gina!” I called, crawling on all fours out of the tent.“What is it, Fran?”“Gina, I’m so sorry, but I can’t stay to come tomorrow night,” I said, wiping my tears away just to make room for more to rain down my face.“It’s okay, Fran. Don’t worry about us.”“Kujo protect,” he said, coming to stick to my side.“You guys sure?”“Yes. Go do what you have to do.”“Okay,” I mumbled, and got back into the tent to grab my phone.The first morning flight from Philadelphia International to LAX was scheduled to live after six AM. Shit. It was hardly past midnight. Whatever. Better late than never. I bought a ticket online, already doing the math. I could check in about five thirty, so I had to leave Pennhurst
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I had a glimpse of the whole living area completely trashed, like a hurricane had blasted through it, but I couldn’t care less. I rushed to the stairs and up to the second floor, to storm into the master bedroom. I froze just past the doorway. My heart, which was about to crack my chest open, suddenly stopped, and everything spun around me.Because Brandon was lying on his bed, unconscious, a bleeding cut on his forehead that had sprayed blood all over him. Cake was right by his side, lifting his limp legs up to the bed.“He tripped in the kitchen and hit his head with the isle,” Cake managed to say, panting after carrying Brandon all the way upstairs.I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move.“Fran! Bring me a wet towel!”His shout made me snap out of my shock. I dropped my bag on the floor and ran around the bed to the bathroom, where I grabbed the first towel I
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I woke up at about three. Brandon was sound asleep, so much so that I was able to sneak between his arms without him even flinching. Back from the bathroom, I heard noises downstairs. Then I remembered the disaster zone the living area was when I’d come into the house. I got dressed and headed to the first floor, still trying to tie my hair in a ponytail.Guadalupe had arrived while we were upstairs, and her grin when she saw me threw me off. She and Cake had sort of cleaned up the living area, but the place still looked like the guys from A Clockwork Orange had dropped by to say hi. The kitchen was still a mess, with a lot of glass and smashed mugs all over the floor, wine and all kinds of things spilled on the floor. And when I say all kinds of things, I mean even mayonnaise. So I wore an apron, put on rubber gloves and set to clean up disaster zone number two.Guadalupe and Cake materialized in the kitchen, looking spooked. I faced them with
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“Here she comes,” Brandon said, his voice reflecting exactly the same as his face. “The little witch comes to protect the demon. Not this time.”I felt Kujo brush his face against mine and realized I was holding my breath, still shaking from head to toe. His warm touch helped me snap out of it.Brandon kept taunting and provoking Kujo until I got there, trying to burn him with his holy water. And then he’d come at me, triggering Kujo’s reaction. After Kujo attacked him, hurting me in the process, I saw him jump back to his feet and try to fight Kujo with his bear fists, punching through him like a madman, almost stomping on me, ‘cause I was pretty much unconscious at his feet. Amy stormed down the stairs as Isaac managed to pull him away from me, and forced the camera into his hands to carry me up the stairs in his arms, while Amy kept Brandon at a safe distance.“Kujo mad.”“But y
