Beyond the Camera

PROLOGUE

" I'm telling you! This isn't a lie, my friend died and another friend was seriously injured.. and you think i'm lying?" Alex Barret kept bickering back to the policeman.

" Alright Kid, tell me the full story. And everything you say has to be true. " Alex looked back at him in distress.

" Fine. Just.. let me get a drink. "

After Alex left the room he made his way to the main building of the Police station, it was a dreary building, with cracked walls and flickering lights. The air inside was thick with the scent of stale coffee and cigarette smoke. The officers sat at their desks, typing away on their computers or idly chatting with each other. It was a place of business, but there was an underlying tension in the air. Alex walked toward a friend of his, Frank, he was also a survivor of the circumstances that took place earlier that week.

" So? Do they believe you? " Frank muttered under his breath, avoiding eye contact with Alex and fiddling with his arm cast.

"What do you think? A ghost story? Really? Of course they don't believe me." Alex chuckled nervously to himself as the tension rose in the room. His eyes searched the room looking for the nearest vending machine.

"Frank, I'll see you later. I need to get a drink beforehand."

Alex moved his hands restlessly in his jumper pockets looking for some change. He then turned around to notice a young man around the age of 16 behind him waiting for the vending machine.

" You don't have a pound by any chance do you? " Alex avoided eye contact and instead pretended he was still searching for some coins in his pockets.

"Alex Berret? THE Alex Barret? I'm a huge fan! I can't wait for your new upload, that challenge was sick! Can't believe you actually decided to go to room 261.

Everyone talks about it but nobody had the courage to actually do it, what was going through your head when-'' Alex walked away empty handed and tired of another person recognising him. Usually he loves the attention but since the accident he realised his career as a content creator was not as glamorous and fulfilling as he once imagined. It's taken a lot of time and effort to get where he is now and one stupid mistake has destroyed his reputation.

He approached the door muttering to himself in distress. As he released the door knob to reveal the police officers paused half way through their sentences, gazing up at alex's panicked

face.

"Listen kid, sit down." An officer in the corner of the room sighed and lit a cigarette. Alex ignored him completely and instead leaned against the door frame and gave him a nasty look.

"Your story is hardly believable. A bell? A ritual? Ghosts? What's this a video game?" The policeman chuckled to himself as the others sneered whilst still typed to themselves.

"At least tell us something that is partially true." Alex couldn't get his head around the situation, that was until

Alex pointed aggressively at the nearest policeman to him and snapped.

"You want the real story? Oh I'll tell you the real story..and I'll make sure every little thing is true. I'll make sure I give you any little bit of evidence you need."