Work Text:
It started out as any normal gig, a lovely bride and her mom came into my shop. I knew immediately that she was getting married, she had a bright happy glow, she looked ready to take on the world and battle whatever life threw at her. I'd seen it a million times on bride to be's faces.
Thirty minutes later and I'm shaking their hands, we've just agreed that I'm going to video her wedding. They saw samples of my work and we arranged everything. They ordered the deluxe pack, complete with surround sound and stationary cameras to be installed in the decorations. The only camera that they would see is the one I was holding, that way most of the video was candid shots of everyone having fun.
The day of the wedding was slowly crawling closer. Only a few days left, I set up all my cameras, did several checks, everything was in order. They would have some amazing footage, and I'd have a ton of editing to do.
The day of the wedding arrived. I showed up an hour early to do some last minute detail adjustment, like always. I checked in with the bride and her mom and then went out to do my job, on the way I ran into the groom and his parents.
They were very polite, but something seemed off about them. They had the most piercing vibrant eyes I had ever seen. And though they were kind and accommodating in letting me get back to work they seemed reserved and almost haughty.
As guests started trickling in I began recording snippets, getting a feel of the energy rippling through the crowd of people in attendance. It wasn't hard to pick out those guests that were apart of the groom's family. Although they mingled in the crowd and didn't congregate in one giant huddle, they all had the same quaint air that set them apart. And they avoided touching the other guests whenever possible, without making it obvious to anyone not paying attention to the crowd as a whole.
Five minutes into the scheduled start of the wedding before the ceremony was set to take place I got the feeling I was being watched. However, every time I would look in the direction I thought it was coming from, no one was even looking in my direction. I decided to just brush it off seeing as it wasn't going to help make the best wedding video ever.
Eight minutes into the event, two minutes before the bride made an appearance. Everyone was starting to make their way to their seats. I was so thankful for the extra cameras planted in the venue, there was no way I could have captured all of the footage necessary, nor would I be able to accent the ambience of the occasion without that film.
Out of the corner of my eye I notice someone approach me. Without clicking off the camera, in case the bride made her appearance during the conversation, I turn to greet who I now realize are the groom's parents. I assumed they were here to check up on how the footage was coming along, but before I could open my mouth to give the report the man held up his hand for silence.
"While I assume you would do a fantastic job, I must ask that you cancel your plans to capture this wedding. You see, we are a very old and powerful family and would appreciate very much if our privacy can be upheld. We are willing to pay you triple what the bride has in cash if you would pack up your camera and leave without a fuss." The groom's father explained. Then his wife opened her handbag and offered me a stack of cash from inside.
Shocked and confused I accepted the cash, packed my hand held camera and left. I hadn't even thought to collect my other cameras until I was halfway home. Figuring I can collect them tomorrow instead of interrupting the ceremony to gather all the cameras, especially seeing as they were well hidden and everywhere, I continued home.
Later that night I decided to at least go through the footage and compile the video in case the groom's family had changed their minds and regretted their decision. At first I didn't notice anything strange within the first few minutes, bit quickly as I continued editing I began to notice that people were missing from the film. After ten minutes of editing it clicked that the only people missing from the video were from the groom's family. Even the groom himself was no where to be found.
I continued editing until the very end. As the I do's were coming up I noticed something strange in one of the camera feeds. The camera was being moved, the angle was shifting and turning. Suddenly I realized with terror what was happening; one of the groom's family members, it was impossible to tell who as they didn't show up on film, had discovered my hidden cameras.
The I do's were said and the kiss had taken place. Well at least I assumed as I couldn't see the groom. And suddenly the entire room of guests I could see were running and screaming.
The bride stood still a look of horror on her face, as her skin got paler and paler. One by one people stopped running, instead there was kicking and thrashing what looked like air, but with absolute dread I understood that it was the groom's family holding them still. They all had looks of fright pain on their faces, their heads tilted at odd angles.
Slowly all of the guests slumped to the floor, paler than marble. The only person I could still see standing was the bride, who looked like a statue created by Medusa herself. She looked pale and cold and so scared. Until finally the groom must have released her because she too fell to a heap on the ground.
That's when the terror in my chest rose to a maximum when the camera that was discovered earlier started moving, then it turned black. I fast forwarded as fast as I could hoping to see what else would happen. Immediately I regretted my decision. As soon as picture came back on I recognized what I was looking at. It was me. I was hunched over my computer watching myself on the screen. I felt the blood leave my face as I let out a shaky, horrified breath.
I heard the familiar voice of the groom's father behind me. "I thought we told you to take your cameras and leave. We tried to be nice, but you've gone and sealed your fate."
Slowly I turned around to see him, his wife, and his now widowered son. I gulped at the realization of what was about to happen. In an act of desperation I hit save and send on my keyboard, sending the footage to my boss and several others in my industry. With that I looked at the faces of these people, before suddenly it was just the groom and his mom, until everything slowly faded into blackness...