Yes. It was exactly as he feared.

He knew someday he’d be meeting the protagonists and joining the story somewhere, otherwise why would the system give him the novel?

He just wasn’t expecting to hop into the story so soon.

He thought back to last week and realized the main character wasn’t present last week.

‘Has the story changed.’ He wondered.

He’d spend the next couple of days searching for the characters.

He wasn’t obligated to help the character Amelia killed but he felt he should at least do something. He was around and knew what would happen, he couldn’t just watch their misery unfold before his eyes right? 

He’d try to help the character avoid their fate while also completing tasks, he had a bunch of time to burn anyway.

Only so many people would be coming on set, most of them being background characters. With Amelia starting as a deuteragonist and confidant, her time on screen would vary each episode.

Caige decided to go over the novel and try to determine when she’d make an appearance.

She would have a small amount of screen time in earlier episodes to introduce her character.

The book didn’t go too much into depth on what she did during that time, it mostly focused on her feelings towards a certain character who played the victim in episode five.

She was also an insignificant actor like Amelia.

He’d have to wait until they started on episode five to help. That’d be at least five to six weeks until then.

As he floated back up again, he watched as the crew went to and fro. His body transferred through the boxes and he was gently laid next to the body. 

He was still uncomfortable around it but after a week his fear pretty much dulled. It kinda felt like he was sleeping at a friend's place, got homesick, then after a while it kinda just felt natural being there.

He opened his systems info page and hovered over the memory button for a few seconds.

In the end he decided it was time to get it over with.

He felt not watching the memories probably wouldn’t have a huge impact because he was a ghost but since it was given by the system he’d watch it.

He was also curious how Devland died.

Timidly he mentally pressed the button.

[It snowed heavily. Devland entered the building through the back alley, he cautiously made sure no one saw him. 

Running up the stairwell he passed by each floor quickly, he avoided the crew members and actors to the best of his ability’s.

Once he made it to the 19th floor he opened a door as quickly as he opened it. Looking around he noticed an older man sitting near a wide window.

“Where have you been?” He rumbled.

“Sorry, sir! I really didn’t mean to be late!”

“How do you expect to be a star one day if you can’t even keep up with your schedule? This might be a small role but I worked hard to get this for you.”

“Sorry, sorry Director...” Devland uttered back.

“Know you would have never gotten this opportunity if it wasn’t for your fathers sacrifice.”

The man stood up to leave but paused before the door.

“And know that everyone here earned this opportunity through blood, sweat and tears so try and understand why they treat you the way they do, and work harder because of it.”

The man finally left without so much as a glimpse back.

Devlands eyes dulled and prickled. He had worked hard for this opportunity too. 

He sat down at a desk filled with makeup and began his usual routine. His foundation was light, his cat eyes made his eyes more noticeable and the bags he colored under his eyes accentuated his tiredness.

He looked like a pretty boy who had a terrible night.

He stood up and went to the door, hesitating slightly before pushing it open. 

It was time.

Time to show them he didn’t just come here because of connections and make sure his father’s sacrifice was worth it.

As the cool air of the winter seeped from an open widow and blew his hair into a mess, he smiled. As long as he could prove himself everyone would surely be his fan.

He could imagine his future.

—

He ran. The cold mud of winter stung his feet and he could slowly feel himself becoming numb. Dying tree after dying tree passed him as he kept running. He could hear them reaching him.

Closer and closer.

—

“Cut!” The director called out in anger.

“I need less fear and more searching for hope! Can’t you do anything right?!”

Whispers permeated the crew.

“This is the 20th take.”

“We’re never going home at this point.”

“Just another nepotism case.”

‘But it’s a horror movie.’ Devland thought to himself.

“Let’s wrap up, this scene will have to do. Head to the building.” The director only sighed.

Devland shivered, no one helped him get a pair of shoes or a hot cup of water. They just picked up the equipment hurriedly and left, he could only speed up with them.

The cold air hit his bare knees and toes.

Inside the air was nice and cozy, his feet prickled from the drastic change. 

“Devland go wash up and prepare for the next scene, we don’t have time for dilly dallying.”

Devland hurriedly made his way to the 19th floor, the showers there were for men. He wished quickly even in between his toes.

He was done in less than ten minutes and was quite proud. 

“You’ll be acting in a box this time so make sure to scream as loud as possible.”

A crew member informed him.

He dressed in some casual wear and made his way down, since his next scene wouldn’t consist of him being on camera.

A crew member, Fillip, hurriedly pushed him to a box and showed him the mechanism to push to get out, once all was ready he began his shouts.

“Help! Help!”

He made sure his shouts were desperate and as ear piercing as possible.

Other people were also shouting from distant boxes, they had been captured too and were desperate to escape the box's confines.

“Alright! Scene! We’re gonna move the boxes around for a new scene. Chop chop.”

The director shouted. 

As the box was being moved, he stayed inside.

As minutes passed he began to grow worried the box had already stopped moving.

Devland with reassurance pressed his button.

It didn’t work.

Slightly worried he tried again.

Nothing.

With fear he shouted “Hey guys! I’m stuck!”

Devland heard the sound of the box opening and his eyes shone with hope.

Before he could thank him, he was abruptly hit on the head. He could feel his vision blurring and the blaring pain.

He woke, startled, and smashed his feet crazily on the box's top. He screamed desperately, hoping anyone would come to save him.

No one heard it.

The walls seemed to close in around him and his breathing was like an echo. 

He was never getting out. 

He’d forever be in the box.

He’ll never accomplish his dreams.

He was worthless.

He’ll die alone, in the winter, and be a speck of dust in the minds of all who met him.

Hyperventilating he passed out in fear. 

He woke again and smacked, kicked, and scratched the walls till his hands were bloody.

Time seemed to slow and it felt like an eternity.

He felt cold. So cold.

It bit his soul and took his consciousness away from him. Cold.

As he slowly closed his eyes, he cried the last of his tears.]

Caige felt he’d be crying right now if he could. It was so sad.

He watched as Devland’s life flashed before his eyes. Then time slowed down to the general time when he died.

“Damn. I wonder why they didn’t find his body. Maybe something urgent happened and they had to leave everything behind?”

This Fillip character was also extremely suspicious. He was the one to shove him into that box.

How was he able to avoid the cameras though? There’s no way no one noticed him shove someone into a box.

‘There’s no point in mulling over how he died.’

 Who knew who actually killed him? What would he do then even if he knew? This wouldn’t help him stop Amelia, or even with his missions.

‘It’s unfortunate he died the way he did. At least his story is known by me, and maybe someday someone will let the world know the injustice he suffered.’ He sincerely hoped for that.

He made his way to the 2nd floor and sat on a chair away from a certain actor who he had smacked with a book.

Like always he tried to move something, but the actor quickly put it back. It was kind of fun teasing him.

His task was certainly benefiting from it. 

5/10, he just needed five more and it’d be complete.

As the actor was getting his makeup done with his eyes tightly closed, Caige moved his hand mischievously to move a brush off the table.

In surprise Caige watches as the actor placed the brush in a cup full of brushes.

“Why’d you do that Mr.Liam?”

“The brush was tickling my hands.” He answered with his eyes still closed.

As the two continued to talk about actor things Caige moved his hands in front of the actors face.

Nothing.

‘Must’ve been a coincidence.’ He told himself.

As he floated upward he didn’t notice a certain actor's eyes following him.