"You know I hate to be cliche but WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, MANSFIELD?!"

I made my eyes as violently fierce as possible just so I could get through to him.

"YOU ARE NOT AN IDIOT, SO I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU INSIST ON ACTING LIKE ONE!"

I didn't care if I was screaming, I didn't care if the whole crew heard me, heck I didn't even care if the whole neighborhood heard my shouting.

I was going to make it clear to him if the seriousness of his actions.

"You realize you not only put the whole crew at risk but you put Splendor's very life at risk as well as endangering your own.

I thought you cared for her, maybe you even love her but if you are ever going to get a chance with that girl you are going to have to learn how to protect her!"

"I understand Sidney.

I know you're angry with me but the reason we came here was to capture supernatural phenomenon.

We have a job to do, I have a job to do and that is to create content for the show.

Look if you're still angry after we finish filming, we can discuss it then but let's not discuss it now.

Time is precious, we shouldn't waste it on anger Sidney.

Alright, let's just pull through this, carry on and get along with one another, okay.

Let's not fight about it.

We can argue about this on a different date, hopefully when we aren't so heated and upset.

Nothing good comes of arguing when your head is all fogged up by frusteration.

I promise we'll talk, just not now,

meanwhile The Woman of the hour has arrived".

I twisted my gaze to peer upon the stairs and it was then that I saw Splendor.

"Aw If it isn't the Woman of the Hour!

Yet again excellent work Splendor, you never disappoint do you?"

"I try. I'm sorry I took so long, I was just looking for clues, you know some hints and pinpoints that could lead us to the true story of this place".

"Oh yes that's certainly understandable.

You should be able to investigate and explore, let your mind go wild, discover new things, uncover hidden secrets, commune with the unknown and delve into the mysterious.

So by all means take your time".

I glared at him intensely for I had heard him say a few moments before that time was precious.

So he had time for her and not for me.

I wasn't jealous of her but I was indignant by the fact that he claimed he had no time to discuss the feeding frenzy incident but he made exceptions in his schedule for her.

"That's enough from you Manny.

Stop with the theatrics, nobody needs to hear your bewildered monologues right now and since you clearly don't have any time to discuss anything with me, I have something I wish to discuss with Splendor myself.

Do Excuse me".

I beckoned to her by a frantic hand and a vibrantly expectant gaze.

She looked rather uncertain but she complied to my request and followed me outside.

"First I'm sorry about his insensitivity. He's a bit of a man child.

Secondly I want to thank you...for saving my life back there".

"You don't have a life to save because technically you're dead but I certainly did my best".

"True, then...thank you for saving my reputation and my sanity.

I was in a real pinch and you got me out of it.

You didn't have to but you did anyway and I appreciate that.

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for lashing out on you like that.

I wasn't myself, I wasn't thinking straight, I know that's no excuse,

I was the foolish one after all that forgot to bring some sort of snack with me.

I mean seriously I could have killed you.

I was really out of control, Splendor.

I mean I'd like to say it was the Evil atmosphere or the weird ambience in this place but logically all of this was my fault.

I guess what I'm trying to say is can you find it Anywhere in your heart to forgive me?"

"I already have Sidney.

What happened was perfectly natural.

You forgot to eat before you came here, then I found that cursed hair pin, then before I knew it there was blood splattered all over it and you were hungry, so why would I judge you for that?

I knew you weren't going to kill me, so I wasn't all that worried.

I wasn't even scared to be honest.

I was calm throughout the whole ordeal."

Chesso.

I heard a raspy whisper being projected into my brain.

"What about Chesso?"

"I never said anything about Chesso." I gave her a strangely disturbed side glance

"Yes but you were thinking it weren't you?"

"I suppose so."

I could see her gulp on those words.

"So may I ask why you have Dr. Chesso on your mind?"

"Chesso is looking for me again.

He wants me to be readmitted to Morningside... again".

Her voice was thick with discomfort and broken by apprehension.

"Oh no, Chesso is practically the devil himself.

Do you know what he wants you for by any chance?"

"No, All I know is he's looking for me and he wants me back.

Naturally Wastrum agrees with him".

"Oh come on, that can't be all you know.

I need details Splendor.

Give me details, details, details Splendor.

Don't hold anything back".

"I overheard them talking over the phone.

They said something about hiding my identity from me and you were the one that could help me find that out.

They were both pretty upset.

They didn't want me to know who I really am because I'd become too powerful for them. Chesso was particularly alarmed by the fact I was associating with you.

I'm not sure what all this means but I think you may be very important to my future and I also have this theory that I might not even be human."

"Whaat?

What makes you say that? The theory I mean. What gave you that idea for this theory...you have?"

"They discussed all of these things about my identity and me finding out what I'm truly capable, it just got me thinking, If Wastrum and Chesso have been lying to me for the sole purpose of controlling me all this time, then why would they make such a effort to hide my origin if I was nothing more than a simple human?

Humans from what I can see really Just aren't that valuable, yet I'm valuable to them somehow, I terrify them, I terrify them because I have power and and they don't.

Humans aren't usually that powerful but apparently I am.

So explain that to me".

"Humans are very valuable, they can have a lot of power like Mansfield in there yet anyhow I will not allow Chesso to take you back to that wretched place.

He'll have a lawsuit on his hands and if he that doesn't work I will expose all of his work, all of his secret experiments, all that he has done in his past and all that be stands for.

I'll expose them both.

I know this is rather personal but you know that court case that Wastrum was supposed to show up for, the one concerning the sexual assault on college campus?

Well I knew about it before, so I didn't really have to do much digging like I said that day when we first met in Mansfield's office.

I just thought you should know about his background and his past.

The truth of the matter is I was there and so was my wife, we kept waiting for him to show but then as the clock ticked by and it became later and later,I knew he wasn't coming and she knew it too.

It absolutely devastated her when he never even made it to court and naturally I was there to comfort.

Her tears were too many to count.

She was the one that made the report, she was the one that was assaulted unfortunately.

It wasn't a good report either, of course sexual assault reports rarely are but my point is she wasn't in good shape after that encounter with him.

Oh gosh, I feel I shouldn't tell you this, unless you want to know what happened in great detail".

"You know less than a year ago my uncle and I removed several rotting corpses right out from the walls.

I've been to countless morgues, I've seen numerous crime scenes thanks to Dr. Chesso, I'm no stranger to sexual assault myself.

The things I did for him and the rest of his staff, are things that I can even say out loud to anyone.

So go ahead".

"Very well.

Gala my wife, she came back home her windpipe was broken, she had such severe bruising around her throat from him strangling the life out of her she couldn't speak for a whole month.

She had 3 snapped rips, a twisted ankle, her wrist was holding on by a thread and her clothes looked like she'd survived a bear attack.

Mind you she wasn't my wife at the time, at the time we were just friends getting to know each other.

When she came to me in that condition and claimed how she couldn't bear to even go back to her own dorm on campus, I couldn't refuse her, so I allowed her to stay with me until she recovered.

I took her to the hospital, I encouraged her to testify and report everything that happened to the police and other proper authorities.

So naturally I'm not a fan of Dirk Wastrum.

That's why I was surprised that you are completely clean of bruises and any other marks of abuse.

I was also surprised that Mansfield even allowed such a monster to set foot in the studio.

The fact he bought that house, the very house I lost my child in, the house my wife and I were trying to create a happy life, a life free of him and all his atrocities, is just insulting.

He had to have known I had lived there.

It was all over the news and it was even in the paper, so that means he only moved in there to mock me.

He's probably mocking me right now, sitting in my chair, staring right into the flames of the fireplace and chuckling to himself as he mocks my pain.

I wish I could crush him, crush his wind pipe and every bone in his neck as easily as crushing a tin can in my grasp.

I'd break both of his legs first better yet to be fair, I'd only break one of them, that way he could at least attempt to run away from me.

I'd snap his wrist in two by my grip alone and lastly I'd leave him there to fend for himself, so he'll know how it feels to be broken and abandoned on the streets just like she was.

That sounds barbaric but I can't say those thoughts haven't crossed my mind after all these years".

"Well then...I suppose that's just natural to feel that way towards him then again I can't say I would stop you if you tried.

I'm not very fond of him myself right now, of course I was never a big fan of him anyway.

Kind of spoils the illusion when your that close to fame and fortune, especially when you know it will never be yours".

I saw her peer down on the floor in her thoughtful sadness.

"I hate to ask this but did he ever touch you by any chance...you know physically?"

"Why do want to know?

So I can testify like she did?

If he's such a coward he'll never show so taking him to court would be a waste of time.

Plus he's not really much of a threat to me anymore, he has shall we say lost all his fire.

Yes he's lost his power and soon he will lose all of his power over me.

That's why I'm here making a new life for myself."

"Yeah about that, this new life you are fond of, I would stay far away from him if you intend on keeping this new life of yours.

He's a killer Splendor, a killer of dreams and joys, he'd probably kill the soul if he could, yet instead he kills every bit of light and hope that is around you.

He already tried killing your will, what else do you want him to destroy?

Chesso on the other hand won't give you a choice.

It will either be all or nothing.

If he's really looking for you, he will never stop hunting you.

I know his type, I've met him, he's not one that takes no for an answer".

"Thankfully neither Am I?

I have you now which is something Chesso doesn't approve of, in fact I Believe he even fears you yet I don't care do you?"

"No not particularly.

I like where this is heading though, you're a little rebel aren't you.

You know there are parts of Morningside that aren't open to the public, they were deemed unsafe or they hid too many secrets and I just so happen to know exactly how to get in.

How you like to go on a little private expedition?"

"Intriguing but for what reason?"

"Secrets, Splendor, it has secrets which means ghosts and may be even a few demons which seems to be your speciality.

It's a bit dark, dusty of course, there's grime clinging to the cracks, moldy in the corners but I think I remember there being something sinister splattered on those walls.

The place reeked of decay and stale blood.

It sounds depressing but I really think it might be worth your while.

Imagine finding evidence that could incriminate Chesso, evidence that even Chesso himself forgot about.

I know you don't want to be involved in a court case but if is found guilty in a court of law because of substantial evidence, he will be in prison for a very long time which takes him out of the equation and with him out of the equation, the danger to your life will be gone.

Eliminate the threat and you'll be free".

"I appreciate your efforts to help me but I'll have to think about it."

"Yes think about that freedom that's right around the corner and that's where I'll be waiting for you".