Crackling, the storm raged furiously.
Without any warning, anger crashed down like a torrential storm. Anson's fury made Sean tremble in the violent wind, a chill shooting up from his feet to his head.
Sean's worst fears were coming true. His anxieties, his nightmares, were all becoming reality.
But the key point was, he couldn't argue back. He couldn't even defend himself.
It was all his fault, wasn't it?
He brought it on himself.
However, Anson suddenly shifted his tone, his lips curling into a faint smile.
"Would an elephant feel any emotion after stepping on an ant?"
"No, it wouldn't. No joy, no sadness—nothing at all. Although I'm not an elephant, and you're not an ant, the principle is the same."
"So, while you're drowning in guilt and self-blame, how about helping me with a few things? Pay me back through some work. What do you think?"
Sean froze in place—
Literally. His whole body stiffened, mind and limbs completely immobilized, as he stood there, dumbfounded.
Anson didn't get a response, but he didn't mind. He continued speaking, almost to himself.
"There's one more thing. I might need your help with my recovery. I'm sure you all have some experience dealing with injuries like this, so you can help me avoid some mistakes. I'm hoping to get back on set as soon as possible."
"Three weeks... ah, that's longer than I expected."
Still, Sean didn't respond. He struggled to keep himself together, eventually turning around hastily, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, his shoulders trembling slightly. But after a brief moment, he regained his composure. Turning back to Anson, he tried to speak but found his lips glued shut, unable to move. All he could do was nod in agreement.
Yet this time, Sean didn't receive a response.
He looked up suddenly and noticed Anson lying on the pillow, staring at the ceiling, clearly unable to see his nod. No wonder there had been no reply.
"Okay. I understand," Sean finally spoke, realizing how hoarse his voice had become.
This time, Anson lifted his head slightly. "Sean, did you notice anything after the accident?"
Sean was about to repeat the series of events once more—he had done it countless times already, so one more time wouldn't hurt.
But Anson interrupted him.
"Not the events themselves—what happened afterward?"
"I'm sure you've gone over the accident a million times already. Repeating it over and over doesn't help. You might even start missing details because of how mechanical the retelling has become."
"I'm asking about after the accident."
"I know it must have been chaotic, everyone rushing toward me, the whole crew swarming around. You must have been terrified too."
"But at that moment, did you notice anyone running in the opposite direction?"
"When everyone was rushing toward me, was anyone trying to leave the scene? Usually, even if someone's calling 911 or looking for help, their first instinct is to come closer and check. Only one person would try to leave the scene."
Sean slowly began to understand.
This was the real reason for Anson's conversation—not just Lucas or Nora. Anson himself had been trying to recall details of the incident, to figure out who was truly responsible for it. He needed Sean to access his subconscious memories.
But the issue was, after the accident, Sean's attention had also been focused on Anson. How could he have had time to notice anything else?
"You mentioned that the blinding flash of a camera caused you to close your eyes, which triggered a series of chain reactions. That means the flash was directly in your line of sight. If it were off to the side, the effect wouldn't have been the same."
"So, in that direction, did your peripheral vision catch any figure standing out from the crowd—someone different from the others?"
"I know your focus wasn't on that, but the human brain is amazing. Those images are imprinted deep in your subconscious, even if you didn't realize you saw them."
"Our eyes and minds are better than any camera in the world, recording everything in vivid detail."
"Now, close your eyes. Let's recreate the scene bit by bit and piece together what happened after."
Sean took a deep breath, calming himself. He knew this was his chance—his opportunity for redemption. He needed to concentrate fully.
With Anson's guidance, it didn't seem that difficult.
Those memories, like scattered pieces of a puzzle hidden deep in his mind, began to reassemble. Sean hadn't even been aware of their existence, but now, slowly, they came back to life, vividly painting the whole picture—
"I've got it! I see it!"
Sean gasped, hardly able to believe it.
...
Breaking News:
Anson Wood was injured during filming for "Spider-Man 2" on set in New Jersey.
According to the production's official spokesperson, Anson is currently resting per doctor's orders, and the extent of his injuries is awaiting further medical evaluation. However, Anson is reportedly in good spirits and looking forward to returning to the set.
Boom. A bombshell exploded across North America.
The first exclusive report came from The New York Times, as usual.
At first glance, the situation didn't seem too serious. But on closer inspection, the vagueness in the official statement, coupled with the tight security surrounding the set after the accident, left reporters feeling something wasn't right.
Could the situation be worse than expected?
The Spider-Man 2 production and Sony-Columbia seemed to be in damage control mode.
That thought took root in journalists' minds, and soon, they couldn't contain themselves.
As time passed, the media fully exercised its abilities, infiltrating the hospital, and a flood of reports spread everywhere.
And the rumors became increasingly outlandish.
First, they said Anson was faking his injury, throwing a tantrum on set and using his injury to threaten the production.
Then, they claimed Anson was on the brink of death, with doctors saying the next 48 hours were critical, and his life was hanging by a thread.
Next, rumors spread that Anson was paralyzed, worse off than Christopher Reeve, and might never walk again.
And then, some said it was all a publicity stunt—a scheme by Anson and Sony-Columbia to boost hype for Spider-Man 2.
At first, netizens fiercely debated the rumors, with supporters, detractors, conspiracy theorists, and die-hard fans arguing non-stop. But soon enough, they realized the absurdity of it all. Each side had a different story, and the likelihood of everything being made up was incredibly high.
This kind of media frenzy was a rare spectacle, especially in 2003.