~ Norman’s Point of View ~
“Cut!” I watched with amusement, as the young woman I’d just cross-bowed between the eyes, pulled out the arrow with a sigh. Dam, she was good. This was the sixth time we had done this scene today and her dedication her performance was admirable. Once more I watched her transform instantly, from a horrific and terrifying creature, screeching, moaning and clawing at me, to a small and frail, almost vulnerable woman. She struggled to get up, like every other time, and squelched around in the puddle of mud and fake blood. I shook my head and laughed softly in disbelief at how someone so seeming helpless now, had actually scared me mere seconds before. Then I felt kinda bad, yet again, for being the one who knocked her down.
I walked over and extended my hand to her. It was dirty, sweaty and rough, but I hoped she wouldn’t notice given she was caked in sludge herself. “Hey”, I smiled down warmly at her, trying to ignore the filthy wisps of hair poking me in the eyes. Be cool, don’t start flicking your head around like a maniac. She gazed up at me, her tiny face filled with a mixture of a sort of puzzled appreciation and placed her hand in mine. Wow her hands were soft! So small and dainty too, like a porcelain doll. This just further emphasised the feeling she was someone who needed to be treated delicately, like a child. I tugged her up, over-estimating just how much she was stuck and she crashed into me. Shit, oops. Even through the layers of her zombie makeup and my heavy leather jacket, (and ignoring the fact that we both smelt awful from the sweat of the day), something about her touch made a tingle shoot up my spine. I felt my face flush and as I opened my mouth to apologise and my throat clamped up.
She jumped back, almost too quickly, and my eyes fell on her face. Even through the makeup I could see SHE was blushing, yet I was the moron that caused our collision. “Sorry ... thanks”, she mumbled awkwardly. Seeing her embarrassment caused mine to slip away and I noticed for the first time, how incredible her eyes were. Even through her contact lenses, their warmth was obvious. They seemed to go on forever, a deep brown with flickers of green all through them, full of curiosity. And something else. What was that? I snapped myself out of my hypnotic state, realising I had probably creeped her out, and found my voice.
“No worries, it’s the least I could do after killing you…again”, I laughed, hoping she hadn’t noticed my bizarre obsession with her eyes. She burst out in giggles almost instantly. Then, as though realising her over enthusiastic reaction, she tried to stop, but as she inhaled, she let out a little squeak. She turned bright red and her eyes darted to the ground. For some reason, I found her odd behaviour ridiculously cute. I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing myself. It escaped me anyway and I saw a warm crimson start to shine through her makeup. “I’m Norman,” I said, scrambling for something to say to distract her, then mentally slapped myself in the face. Of course she already knows that, it’s one of the perks and downfalls of being famous. She seemed to realise this and took her time responding, before she tentatively opened her mouth. “I’m… she began. Several hands wrapped around my forearms and shoulders, spinning me around and prodding me in the opposite direction, before she could finish. A twang of disappoint knotted in my stomach. I probably looked like a jerk. Great. I turned my head back around to apologise or at least offer a wave goodbye, but she was gone.
* * *
A few hours had passed since shooting for the day had wrapped and I still couldn’t get that zombie girl out of my head. What was wrong with me? Something about her eyes had been so captivating, but really, I knew nothing about her. Not even her name. Besides, I’d probably well and truly weirded her out with my staring and practically heaving her onto me. I shook my head, flicking my hair from my eyes for the millionth time and decided to go for a run around camp to take my mind off things. I peeled my shirt off (with difficulty, as it clung to me caked in sweat), stuffed it halfway into my pocket and crammed in my headphones.
