Till Death (Volturi / Twilight Fanfiction)

19: Parasite

"Taytay, where you at?" Taylor was snapped back to reality by her father's hand inches from her face. He was waving it and she was looking right past it for a bit now.

"I'm here, I'm here. I-uh...didn't sleep well last night." They were filming in that room today, it was not the day for Taylor to be zoning out. She shook her head. 

"Bad dreams? They messing with your sleep?"

"No, no, I don't think any of them can right now." Since she had met the woman she didn't receive any other dreams. Just them in the market square or in the garden. Taylor slept so little last night that they didn't have time for anything other than a short conversation. Taylor had asked about what she remembered now. And the woman was vague. She was also very touchy, a hand was constantly over Taylor's the entire time as if to make up for her inability to touch her in the garden that day. As if to reassure herself that, unlike the environment around them, Taylor was real. But it ended quickly, too quickly. Taylor was a bit groggy this morning. She didn't even feel like getting dressed, just put on some pants and a zipper hoodie above the t-shirt she had slept in. "I just couldn't get to sleep is all. Restless. Nothing to really worry about." 

"Alright-"

"Darnell." A young man with a thick accent and a low ponytail interrupted the two's conversation. He was Francis, head tech hired by the production almost as soon as the ball got rolling. Apparently, he was good. "We didn't capture any film from the cameras last night. Last camera is just like the others, only static."

"Well keep it rolling, we might see something in the snow."

"The camera is hot. I don't think it can take much more strain. These are expensive- EXPENSIVE equipments."

"Yeah, I got that Francis, I got it." Darnell rubbed his beard. "How bout the mics?"

"Listen for yourself." Francis had brought over a heavy-duty laptop, he scooted in between the father and daughter displaying the audio capturing program on its' screen. With a nod he pressed the spacer, playing back the audio captured. At first it was static, which was to be expected. After a few minutes, Taylor noticed a pattern in the static, how it would intensify and then lessen for brief periods. It would then repeat itself. 

"Breathing?" She mused, Darnell shrugged. 

"Or just static. Did we capture anythi-"

"Sh. Listen." Taylor leaned in closer to the speakers, trying to hear what Francis was pointing out. Beneath the breathing, past the static, was a wet noise. Like someone pulling a drenched mop across the floor. She leaned closer, and immediately regretted it, the wet sound was followed by a loud growl which hurt her ears. It sounded lazy, like a warning, like a dog when children play with its' ears too much. But it was booming. 

"Jesus." Taylor cringed, rubbing her ear.

"Yeah, I threw off my headphones when I heard it but there is nothing else." Francis closed the laptop, tucking it under his arm. "If we cannot get footage will it be worth showing at all?"

"Have you tried the infrared?"

"Yes."

"Nah, like from a distance. We stand here, someone opens the doors, and we see what we can get from down the hall. The equipment in the lobby doesn't seem too affected." Taylor offered. 

"We could try, it would be better if we were able to shoot up close."

"Course, but like." Taylor eyed the doors, her bracelet was on until she got the nerve. She did not have the nerve right then. "I think whatever's in there will be big enough to see down the hall. What'll be a real problem is if it decides to move down the hall. But, it's still there from yesterday so..."