In Laymon's Terms

When he got to the sound stage, props were being set up. Cameras and lights were being moved into place. He looked at the women who were putting things into place. They were the same ones he had seen the day before. He saw no strangers, no one who might be Elizabeth.

Still, he worried.

Then he noticed a wooden casket resting on a table in the middle of the stage. Red curtains hung behind it. Neal stared at the casket. He pictured Elizabeth hiding inside it—waiting to jump out.

Carefully, he stepped over wires and walked onto the stage. He stopped beside the casket. Looking around, he saw that no one was watching him. Quickly, he raised the lid.

Elizabeth was not there.

But a knife was—stuck through a picture of Lynda.

Neal felt an icy chill crawl over his skin.

She’s here, he thought. Elizabeth is here—someplace.

He pulled the knife out. Then he took the picture of Lynda and put it in his pocket. He closed the casket. As he left the stage, he looked around again at every face he saw.

He didn’t see Elizabeth.

Quietly he dropped the knife into a nearby wastebasket.

“Perfect,” Hal said. “You look the part, Lynda.”

Neal turned just in time to see Lynda walking past a camera. She nodded at Hal, then turned her head toward Neal. With the veil over her face, he couldn’t see if she looked nervous or if she was smiling. He watched as she lifted the long black dress above her ankles and stepped onto the stage.

From the chair, Hal spoke to her. “This should be a piece of cake, Lynda. No cats on the set.” He laughed. Then he went on. “After you open the casket, I want you to look into it for a while, as if you’re really sad.”

Neal rolled his eyes. He was very glad he had taken the knife and picture out of the casket.

“Then turn around slowly and face the camera,” Hal went on. “Pull off your veil and start laughing. Just a little laugh at first, but build it up until you’re laughing like crazy. You’re crazy. A real case for the funny farm. Laugh like one. Got it?”

The veiled face nodded.

“OK,” Hal called. “Quiet on the set?”

She stood with her back to the camera. Neal watched her instead of the man with the clapper.

“Action,” Hal said.

Slowly she walked toward the casket. She raised its lid. Then, suddenly, she whirled around.

“No, no, no!” Hal shouted. “Cut! That was all wrong! You’re supposed to...”

She pulled the veil way from her face.

Neal felt his legs go weak.

The woman in the black dress was not Lynda. It was Elizabeth.

“You shall not make this film!” she screamed.

Lynda opened her eyes. She was lying face down on the floor, less than a yard from her side, was a coiled rattlesnake.

Lynda froze. She didn’t dare breathe.

The rattlesnake looked huge. The sight of it staring at her made her skin crawl.

Elizabeth, she thought. Elizabeth did this.

Then she thought, if I don’t move, maybe it won’t strike.

But she couldn’t lie there forever. She looked away, hunting with her eyes for a weapon. The wire hanger that had held her dress lay on the floor within reach.

I wonder where the dress is, Lynda thought. Then she knew. Elizabeth must have taken it. She must have put it on and gone over to the set. What would she do once she got there?

The others had to be warned.

Neal!

She looked at the hanger again. It wouldn’t be much good as a weapon. But her dressing-table chair wasn’t far away. If she could get to it she could use it to...

Slowly, Lynda got to her hands and knees, keeping her eyes on the big snake. The noise of the snake’s rattle grew in her ears.

Quickly she sprang for the chair.

The snake shot toward her. Lynda threw her arm out and did her best to block it.

Neal stared at the woman in black. What had she done to Lynda?

He started to run toward Lynda’s dressing room. But at that moment, Hal jumped up from his chair. “Who are you?” he yelled at the woman. “Get out of—”

Before Hal could finish speaking a huge camera shot across the floor on its rollers. Hal jumped out of its way, falling over his chair. The big camera smashed into a light stand. The light fell and exploded against the floor.

Then the curtains on the wall behind the casket flew up into the air. They waved high above the stage. They tore loose from their rods and whirled over everyone.

People began to yell and scream. Some ran away. Others stood still, staring as the curtains whirled around a big light and slammed it to the floor.

The other curtain dropped onto a stagehand who had dared to run at Elizabeth. It covered him, and he fell to the floor.

“Fire!” someone yelled.

Neal saw a blazing curtain uncurl itself from the light it had smashed. It started to rise from the floor. The people near it ran away.

But Neal raced to the burning curtain. He stepped on a corner to hold it down. With his other foot, he tried to stamp out the flames. Then suddenly the curtain whirled around him. It held him tightly, leaving only his legs free. With all the power he had, Neal ran toward Elizabeth.