“In the shadows of love and loyalty, a chilling secret waits to surface – Are you ready for ‘What Lies Beneath’?”
Watch the original version of What Lies Beneath
Prologue
The quiet town of South Vermont is steeped in fried apple pies, community potlucks, and a sense of familiarity that spreads like warmth through the veins of its inhabitants. But underneath its idyllic facade, it harbors a secret. A secret cloaked in whispers and hidden beneath a glossy veneer of normalcy. The secret of what lies beneath.
In the heart of the town, flanked by tall, majestic oaks, stands a Victorian mansion that’s been home to the Spencers for years – the residence of celebrated scientist, Dr. Norman Spencer, and his beautiful, yet enigmatic wife, Claire. Framed gracefully by time, the house comprises an entity of its own, breathing with an almost tangible air of mystery.
Claire Spencer, a vivacious brunette with a gaze as sharp as the morning sun, had once filled the home with music. An accomplished cellist, her life was a melody entwining the notes of love, art, and companionship. But when an accident snatched away her ability to play, it left behind a haunting silence that echoed throughout their home.
As autumn descended, surrendering the last vestiges of summer, the silence in the house took on an unusual tenor. Shadows danced with an eerie rhythm, the wind whispered uncanny tales, and Claire found herself standing on the precipice of an abyss she had never noticed before. The once familiar walls of her home now seemed to breathe unease, their heartbeat synchronized with her own escalating dread.
Chapter 1 – “Unsettling Whispers”
The whispers started on a Wednesday in mid-October.
The first whisper brushed past Claire’s ear, light as a feather, while she was in the attic. The voice was ethereal but sounded strangely familiar. It echoed dimly, bouncing off the attic’s dusty confines and embedding itself into the silence.
She knew she should have been frightened, but instead, a sense of curiosity gripped her. She looked around, her gaze scanning the cobwebs draped across the attic’s corners, the stray beams of sunlight filtering through the lone window, the old relics that bore silent witness to her life’s highs and lows.
But there was nothing, no source for the whisper. Dismissing it as a trick of the wind, Claire resumed her cleaning. It wasn’t until she heard it a second time that she froze in her tracks. This time, it echoed her name, a haunting lullaby that sent chills crawling down her spine.
“Claire…”
Shaken, she hurried down the attic stairs, slamming the door behind her. She felt a prickling sensation on the nape of her neck, as if being observed by an unseen entity. She rolled her shoulder blades in an attempt to shake off the anxiety.
Dinner that night was a quiet affair, the silence between Claire and Norman slicing through the otherwise peaceful atmosphere. Each clink of silverware against the china plates seemed to echo Claire’s mounting dread.
When she finally broke the silence, her voice came out barely in a whisper, matching the phantom echoes that still rang in her ears. “Norman, I heard something in the attic today…a voice.”
His brows knitted together in concern. “A voice?” he asked, incredulous. “Claire, you must be overworked. Maybe you imagined it.”
Claire bit her lip, uncertain. Could she be imagining things, her mind playing tricks on her?
But as the days turned into nights, the whispers grew in intensity. They bounced off the walls in broad daylight, slithered under the bedroom door at night, and seeped into her dreams. They filled the once comforting silence of her home with an eerie presence, a spectral haunting that had set its eyes on Claire Spencer.
And all the while, her husband tried to reassure her by telling her it’s all in her head. But as Claire lay in the throes of the night, listening to the whispering wind outside, she couldn’t help but wonder if the strange occurrences had something to do with their quaint Victorian home, with its dark, almost otherworldly spirit.
Unbeknownst to her, the whispers were merely the beginning. The darkness was yet to unfold, and Claire was about to venture into an abyss of mystery, confronting not only the unseen entities but also the secrets that her husband was hiding.
The tale of ‘What Lies Beneath’ was just about to begin.
Chapter 2 – “The Rearview Mirror”
Claire was navigating through the picturesque roads of Vermont, the splendor of fall washing over her. Trees ablaze with the colors of autumn whispered stories of change as the light breeze nudged their leaves. The crimson, amber, and gold hues reflected in her eyes, creating a mirage of warm colors.
But these colors were marred by a chill – a chill that had nothing to do with the weather. It crept up her spine, prickling her skin like a thousand little ice shards. Her heart was pounding, a drum against her chest playing a rhythm of fear.
She tried to shake off the unease, attempting to lose herself in the melody playing on the car radio. The soothing notes of her favorite jazz piece were usually enough to calm her nerves. Today, they were drowned out by her escalating pulse.
She glanced at the rearview mirror, a habit perfected over years of careful driving. What she saw made her blood run cold. A pale face, spectral and ghastly, stared back at her from the backseat. Eyes hollow and devoid of life, a spectral vision that pierced her very soul.
Her breath hitched, the grip on the steering wheel tightened. The world seemed to close in around her, her vision narrowing to the ghostly figure in the mirror. The spectral apparition of a woman, appearing as sudden as a lightning bolt and as shocking.
Cries of panic escaped her throat as she swerved violently, the car skidding on the gravel. She could hear the deafening screech of tires against the road and the sickening crunch of metal as her car hit a tree.
Then, everything descended into silence.
She woke up in a haze of pain and confusion. Her head throbbed, her vision blurred. Her hands were shaking as she unbuckled her seatbelt and crawled out of the mangled car. The world spun around her as she tried to gather her bearings.
It took her a moment to remember – the ghostly face in the mirror. With the memory came a fresh wave of fear. She whipped around to look at the backseat of the car. It was empty. No sign of the ghostly figure.
A chill gust of wind blew, making her shudder. She stood there, amidst the trees, the wreckage of her car bearing the only evidence of her encounter with the apparition. Claire felt lost, standing at the precipice of understanding and madness, questioning whether she was haunted by spirits…or her own mind.
The fleeting image in the rearview mirror would become an obsession, a mystery that would consume her. A riddle wrapped in an enigma, a relentless haunting. Norman’s reassurances seemed like feeble attempts to mask a terrifying reality. The apparition was just the beginning of the unraveling of her world.
What lies beneath was no longer a question, but a cryptic clue leading her to unearth secrets that should’ve stayed buried. Little did she know, she was on a collision course with the truth – a truth as spectral and unnerving as the face in the rearview mirror.
Chapter 3: “Mysterious Discoveries”
There was something chilling about the house’s eerie silence that day. Flickering shadows played tricks on Claire’s strained eyes as she roamed the corridors, her pulse echoing within her. She could almost hear the whispers increase in frequency, creating a dissonant symphony of ghostly murmurs in her ears. She was convinced that someone or something was trying to communicate with her. The indifference Norman showed towards her predicaments left her feeling alone in her traumatizing journey. Against all odds and logic, Claire decided to challenge her fears and dig into the root of this paranormal phenomenon enveloping her life.
The first step of this undertaking involved tearing apart the attic, her husband’s sanctuary. It was a place she seldom ventured into. Rows upon rows of old, dust-covered boxes filled the room. Files, family keepsakes, and remnants of their past adorned the shelves. The attic had a musty smell of antiquity. The air was thick with suspense as she gingerly unlatched a frail, wooden box. It creaked open, revealing stacks of yellowed photos. As she sifted through them, a particular snapshot grabbed her attention.
It was a small monochrome photograph of a lady in her early twenties. Her eyes held a captivating intensity that belied her youthful face, with a hint of vulnerability. Her auburn hair danced with the wind, her smile enchanting yet filled with melancholy. On the back, in Norman’s scrawly handwriting, it read ‘Lisa Sherwood.’ A shudder ran down Claire’s spine as she looked at the girl. She recognized her from the spectral images, the phantom that had caused her distress. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of the unsettling connection between her husband and the haunting entity that had been tormenting her.
Simultaneously, a series of memories flooded back: the whispers, the apparitions, the strange occurrences. Each one seemed to be linked to the woman in the photograph. The eerie whispers she had been hearing were not just random sounds but a call for help. The occurrences she labeled as hallucinations were not a product of her imagination but a desperate plea from Lisa.
As she delved deeper into her investigation, she discovered a newspaper clipping detailing the mysterious disappearance of a local woman, Lisa Sherwood. The woman in the photograph and the phantom that haunted her dreams were the same. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Her husband, the man she trusted and who had been dismissing her concerns, had been harboring a dark secret.
A whirlwind of emotions washed over her, gripping her in a vice-like knot of fear, confusion, and betrayal. The lines between the past and the present—reality and the supernatural—began to merge into a frightening miasma of unanswered questions.
What was Lisa’s connection to Norman? How was it that she was haunting their house? Where did she vanish? Each question churned in her mind. Her curiosity piqued, and she decided to confront Norman about it. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t just about confronting him. It was also about her courage to face the spectral entity, Lisa Sherwood, who was making her presence felt.
Little did she know that these discoveries would only serve as the tip of the iceberg, setting the stage for darker secrets waiting to be unveiled in the course of her life. The sanctuary of her home had turned into a haunting ground, and Claire was at the epicenter of this swirling vortex of horror and mystery. The shadow of ‘What Lies Beneath’ was just beginning to unfold. And it was going to change her life in ways she could not have possibly imagined.
Chapter 4 – “The Séance”
Fear and trepidation hung thickly in the candlelit room as Claire prepared for the séance. She was a picture of strained composure – her hands trembling slightly as she placed the Ouija board on the antique oak table. The curtains were drawn, ensuring darkness, the only light flickering from the few candles illuminating the room with a soft, haunting glow.
Pulling in a shaky breath, she scanned the arcane symbols on the board. It was as if she was about to dive headfirst into the swirling vortex of her own fears. But discoveries and unexplained happenings had pushed her into this corner. The mysterious whispers, the spectral faces, the hidden photograph; all pointed towards an obscure secret her logic had yet been unable to decipher.
The séance began, and Claire had the uncanny sensation of time slowing. She could feel the air grow thicker as if charged with unseen energy. “Lisa Sherwood,” she called out hesitantly, her voice echoing eerily in the dim room. “Are you here with us?”
A cold draft swept through the room, causing the candles to flicker wildly. The planchette on the board began to move of its own accord, a chill running down Claire’s spine as she watched, barely daring to believe her own eyes. It spelt out the words: “I am here.”
A knot formed in Claire’s stomach, a combination of fear and a bizarre sense of dread. “What happened to you?” She finally mustered the courage to ask the question that had been haunting her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched the planchette spell out its reply: “Betrayed.”
A wave of unease swept over her. Did the spirit imply that someone betrayed her? Was it Norman? Her mind raced with unanswered questions, the web of mystery seemed to be getting denser with each revelation. She pressed on, her voice barely a whisper, “Who betrayed you, Lisa?”
No response.
“Lisa,” Claire pleaded, “tell me, who was it?”
Still silence.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in, extinguishing the candles and plunging the room into darkness. It was as if the house itself had sighed in desolation – a somber testament to the secrets it held. Terrified, Claire fumbled to relight the candles, her fear-filled heart pounding against her ribs.
Finally, the room was bathed again in the soft glow of the flickering candles, but the atmosphere had changed. It was heavier, more oppressive, as if charged with malevolence. With renewed determination, Claire asked again, “Who betrayed you, Lisa?”
The planchette jerked suddenly, spelling out a name that sent a shiver down Claire’s spine – “Norman.”
Claire felt as if the room was spinning. Her worst fear had come true. She was living with a man who might be a traitor or worse, a murderer. The séance had turned into a Pandora’s box, opening up more questions than it answered.
She was left alone in the eerie silence of the room, the ghost of Lisa’s accusations hanging in the air, thick as smoke. The chilling revelations threatened to consume her, shaking her to her core. The ghostly silence was shattered by a knock at the door, jolting her back to reality. Heart pounding, she looked up to meet the eyes of her husband – Norman.
The séance was over, but the real horror was just beginning. Unseen by Norman, the planchette on the Ouija board moved one last time, pointing ominously at the word – “Beware.”
Chapter 5 – “Unraveling Secrets”
As the sun started its descent into the horizon, Claire found herself in the dusty archives of the local library. Her eyes scanned line after line of microfiche, news reports, and yearbooks, looking for any clue about Lisa Sherwood – the name given to her by the Ouija board. Anything that could help make sense of the eerie happenings plaguing her life.
Norman had always been a private man, carrying some unseen burden with a sacrosanct devotion to silence, but this… this was unlike anything she could have anticipated. His student, Lisa Sherwood, disappeared, leaving behind naught but unanswered questions. It rattled her faith in him. She felt like a silent spectator in a sinister melodrama, its unseen strings pulling her deeper into the enigma.
Soon enough, she found it – a small column, relegated to the lower left corner of a town newspaper page, dated about a year ago. A bright young woman, a student at the local university where Norman taught, missing. Lisa Sherwood. Her heart hammered in her chest as the reality of her situation dawned upon her. The specter that haunted her was trying to tell her something about Lisa.
Night fell like a shroud over the town as she returned home. The house loomed ominously in the dim light, and as she stepped inside, its eerie silence gnawed at her fears. She could feel the essence of Lisa – in the whispers of the wind, in the flickering shadows, every creak echoing her name. Sleep seemed like a distant dream, the line between reality and the supernatural growing thin.
Claire spent the night poring over Lisa’s pictures, the context of her relationship with Norman, and the circumstances leading to her disappearance. She felt a surge of empathy for the young woman, her life cut short, her spirit stuck in a limbo, seeking justice, and closure.
As dawn broke, Claire’s resolve hardened. She confronted Norman about Lisa. The look of shock and guilt on his face as he saw Lisa’s picture confirmed her worst suspicions. He confessed to the affair but vehemently denied any involvement in her disappearance. His desperation seemed genuine, but the seeds of doubt had been sown.
The specter of Lisa Sherwood had woven a web of suspicion and fear around him, threatening to shatter the world they knew. Claire was caught in the crossfire, torn between love and a pursuit of a truth that could break them. The once peaceful life they shared was now a shadowy landscape of instability and distrust.
The picturesque home they once shared now felt like a mausoleum, the walls echoing with Lisa’s unsaid words. Every room filled with a dreadful, silent anticipation, like a prelude to a tragic climax. Claire knew she had to solve this mystery and help Lisa’s spirit find peace, even if it meant tearing her life apart.
Haunted by Lisa’s echoes and tormented by Norman’s betrayal, Chapter 5 inked the beginning of Claire’s quest for truth. As she stood at the precipice of the unknown, it was clear that her life had been irrevocably intertwined with that of Lisa Sherwood. As dread and determination waged a silent war, she knew there was no turning back- the mystery of ‘What Lies Beneath’ had to be solved.
Chapter 6 – “Dark Revelations”
The dawn light filtered through the glass pane of the window as Claire stood there, lost in her thoughts, her heart pounding with the heavy weight of suspicion. She had been awake for hours, her mind gripped by a single name – Lisa Sherwood. The woman staring back at her from the old newspaper article looked young and vibrant, a stark contrast to the ghostly apparition that had been terrifying Claire recently.
She squinted at the grainy photograph, the corners of her mouth pinched into a stern line. Norman had had an affair with this girl, she was sure of it. But did that affair cost Lisa her life? Could the man she had shared her life and love with, be capable of such horrifying betrayal?
Taking a deep breath, she found her reflection in the dressing mirror. She looked older, wearied by secrets and suspicion. She squared her shoulders, ready to confront Norman.
Her footfalls echoed in the large, silent house as she made her way to the study, her heart pounding like a war drum. Norman was there, engrossed in his work. She stood there, taking a moment to study him. The man she knew, the man she loved, appeared no different, but the seed of doubt planted within her was growing relentlessly.
“Norman,” she began, her voice steady yet softly shaking. He turned, his surprised eyes meeting hers. She pressed on, “Who is Lisa Sherwood?” The question hung in the air like a black cloud, making the reality of the situation set in. Norman’s face paled, his eyes darting away, unable to meet hers.
He sighed, setting aside his work and ran his hands through his hair. “Claire,” he started, his voice filled with remorse. “Lisa was… she was my student.”
Something cold twisted deep within her at his words, confirming her worst fears. “And?” she prompted, her voice barely more than a whisper.
“I…” He paused, his face a battle of emotions. He cleared his throat, “I had an affair with her.”
Claire’s world seemed to halt. The confession hung in the room, haunting and damaging. But there was still one question lingering in her mind.
“But did you kill her, Norman?” she asked, her voice just a breath above a whisper. He looked taken aback at her question. His eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw fear in them.
“No!” he exclaimed, “I would never… Why would you think…” He looked at her, perplexed then realization washed over him. “Is this about the things you’ve been seeing? The voices? Claire, I told you, it’s all in your…”
“Stop it, Norman!” she cried, “I found her picture, hidden amongst your things. The same woman who has been trying to communicate with me. And now you tell me about an affair. What am I supposed to think?”
Norman looked at her, his face filled with regret. “Claire, I…” But she silenced him with a raised hand.
“No more lies, Norman. I want the truth.”
Norman sat there silently, the gravity of their situation pressing upon him. He had always been a master at concealment, but even he realized that he could no longer hide the truth from the woman he loved. Their relationship was at stake and the specter of Lisa Sherwood was threatening to tear them apart. Norman contemplated, whether to let the spectral accusations win or fight them with the truth. But could Claire handle the truth, or would she succumb to the horror of ‘What Lies Beneath’.
Chapter 7- “Night Terrors”
It had been easy for Claire to believe Norman’s assertion that the sounds she heard were an old house settling, the faces she saw merely illusions of light and shadow. But things had changed, secrets had been revealed, and a quiet dread had nestled itself into Claire’s heart. The nights were no longer a sanctuary; they were an open invitation to an escalating terror that Claire couldn’t escape.
Each night, as darkness shrouded their lake house, Claire girded herself for the visitation not knowing what form it would take. The nightmares began slowly, a faint echo of a woman’s desperate plea, a distorted image of Lisa Sherwood in pain. But with each passing hour, they became more vivid, more horrific, and Claire felt like she was losing herself in this spectral labyrinth.
One night she woke up gasping for air, as though hands were wrapped tightly around her neck. The horrifying image of Lisa being strangled flooded her mind. Sweat-soaked and terror-stricken, Claire looked at Norman who lay next to her, his face an inscrutable mask, seemingly unperturbed by his wife’s distress.
Claire could no longer find comfort in the arms of her husband, not when he might be the monster that haunted her dreams. The man she loved, the man she shared a life with was morphing into something she could hardly recognize, and it terrified her. She had shared a life with this man, and the realization that he might have had a hand in some terrible act was more horrifying than any ghost or spirit.
In the dead of night, after another haunting nightmare, Claire walked through the dimly lit corridors of their house. The walls seemed to bleed with secrets, the stillness of the house pulsating with an unseen energy. The portraits that adorned the hallway seemed to watch her move, their gaze accusing, almost knowing.
Walking into the room that used to be Lisa’s, the air was heavy with melancholy, the lingering essence of a life abruptly halted. The room was a time capsule, a testament to the last moments of Lisa’s life, which Claire was now privy to.
Then came the most haunting dream of all. Lisa, soaking wet, her face masked with terror and confusion, appeared at the foot of Claire’s bed. She whispered in a voice filled with sorrow and fear, “He did it. He killed me.” Her cold, blue eyes bore into Claire’s soul, widening with terror as she was pulled violently backward, disappearing into the shadowy abyss.
Awake and terrified, Claire couldn’t shake off the chilling dread that had gripped her. Never before had a dream felt so real. She glanced at Norman, sleeping peacefully next to her, wondering if the man she loved was capable of such a horrifying act.
As dawn broke, Claire stepped outside to the dock, hoping the cool, fresh air would help clear her mind. But as she stared at the tranquil and eerie lake, she couldn’t shake off the image of Lisa’s ghostly apparition being dragged away, disappearing into the water’s dark womb.
It was clear now – the past was not content with being ignored. It had found a voice in the phantom of a woman wronged and was desperate for vengeance and accountability. Claire had hoped to find peace but was drowning in undercurrents of betrayal, fear, and horror. Norman’s dark secret was out and the monstrous reality of her nightmares was nothing compared to the living horror that her life had become.
Chapter 8 – “Ghostly Vengeance”
The night was dark and sinister, a carnival of echoing whispers and casting shadows. The once comforting home had mutated into a labyrinth of suspense-scattered hallways and rooms, each corner harbouring a nerve-racking anticipation. Claire Spencer, ensnared in the web of mysteries, was battling a chilling whirlpool of uncertainty.
After the startling revelations that had turned her world upside down, she found herself teetering on the precipice of horror and disbelief. The whispers had taken a form, a spectral figure creeping around the edges of reality, pulling at the veil separating the living and the dead. The well-established notions of the mundane and reality had been displaced, making room for the eerie and the uncanny.
In the eerie silence of the night, a sudden cold gust of wind began to blow. The rhythm of the rustling curtains produced an eerie melody that sent a shiver down Claire’s spine, disturbing the stillness of the house. The dense aura of dread became thicker, heralding the arrival of an unwanted visitor. She felt her pulse race, her breath hitching as she heard the ominous creak of the floorboards.
The figure materialized out of the darkness, her form wavering like a candle flame in the wind. It was Lisa Sherwood, the once vivacious student turned into a spectral entity, robbed of her temporal existence. Her face was a tapestry of sorrow and torment, her eyes hollow, yet the rage within them was glaring. She was a ghost, anchored in the mortal world by her thirst for justice.
Lisa’s apparition floated eerily towards Norman. He recoiled, his denial shattered by the spectral manifestation. His facade began to crumble as Lisa’s form intensified, becoming more substantial and terrifying with each passing second. Her translucent figure cast an ethereal glow, the light flickering in rhythm with her increasing anger.
Norman was pinned against the wall, his face a mask of terror as Lisa’s spectral hand reached out, her icy touch made him gasp with fear. Her anguished eyes stared into his, the silent accusation resonating louder than any spoken words. There was a palpable tension in the air, the house echoing with an ethereal wail that seemed to shake its very foundations.
The possession of silence was suddenly broken. Lisa’s accusatory finger, pointing at Norman, trembled, as if struggling to control the overwhelming surge of emotions. A lone tear rolled down her ghostly cheek, crystallizing the bitter memory of her untimely death.
In that moment, there was an explosion of energy. The house shuddered, the thunderous echo of Lisa’s rage resonating through its skeletal frame. Picture frames fell from the walls, shattering on impact, the glass shards reflecting the ghostly tableau. Chairs and tables were tossed aside like toys, the windows vibrating ominously under the supernatural onslaught.
Stricken with fear, Claire watched the spectacle unfold, her heartbeat synchronising with the pulsating echoes of ghostly rage. The vengeance, so raw and powerful, had cast a haunting shadow over their lives, the once peaceful ambiance forever tainted. Her relationship with Norman, once defined by love and trust, had been shattered by his deceit and the resulting phantom vengeance.
The chilling climax of this spectral showdown left her with an unfathomable sense of dread. She had dared peek into the abyss of the supernatural and felt its cold, unsettling gaze stare back. It was a prelude to the storm that loomed on the horizon, a disastrous climax waiting to unfold. The truth, as stark and horrifying as it was, had been unveiled through an otherworldly medium, leaving her forever in the shadow of ‘What Lies Beneath’.
Chapter 9 – “Climax in the Storm”
As the storm rumbled outside the window, an ominous electricity charged the air within the Spencer home. The hushed whispers of the wind sounded like spectral sighs, and the sporadic bursts of thunder echoed like a spectral drumbeat to the unfolding drama.
Norman, once the reassuring figure in Claire’s life, now appeared like a sinister specter under the flickering glow of the ominous lightning arcs. Gone were the comforting blue eyes of the man she had committed to, replaced now by a fear-inducing gaze that mirrored the turmoil writhing within him.
As the relentless rain lashed against the windowpanes, mirroring the tempest within the house, Claire recoiled from this unfamiliar version of her husband. Her heart pounded in rhythm with the raindrops upon the window, her breath matching the gusts of the wind outside. It was as though nature itself was voicing the chaotic emotions that swirled within her, the storm’s intensity reflecting the depths of her fear and betrayal.
Norman was locked in his confrontation with the spectral figure of Lisa Sherwood, her apparition becoming more vivid with every bolt of lighting that shattered the darkness of the room. The ethereal figure hovered above the ground, her ghostly white dress flowing with a life of its own. Her accusing eyes were fixated on Norman, and as the lightning illuminated her spectral form, an icy chill swept through the room.
The spectral figure of Lisa pointed an accusatory finger towards Norman. Her mouth opened, but no sound emerged. Instead, a gust of wind swept through the room, carrying with it the chilling whisper, “Guilty.”
Norman, trapped in the spectral gaze of his past mistakes, flinched as if struck by the word. He was no longer the confident man Claire had fallen in love with. He was a stranger, crumbled under the weight of his guilt.
In a desperate attempt to dismiss the phantom, Norman found his voice. “Lisa Sherwood, I confess it,” he began, his voice trembling against the relentless thunderclap. “I confess to your death! I wanted to hide my sin, my mistake. But I’m not the monster you make me out to be!”
But the spirit refused to recede, her spectral gaze drilling into Norman. The room turned cold, the phantom’s vengeance palpable in the frosty air. Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew open the windows, and a bolt of lightning filled the room with a blinding light. Then, in the heart of the storm, Lisa’s apparition lunged forward.
Claire watched, frozen in terror, as the ghostly figure of Lisa Sherwood moved towards Norman, her spectral form shimmering with vengeful fury. She reached out, her transparent hand passing through Norman’s chest. He stumbled backward, his face contorting in fear, his scream lost in the cacophonous thunderclap that shook the house.
As suddenly as it had struck, the blinding light faded, leaving the room in an eerie darkness interrupted only by the sporadic flash of the dying storm outside. As the thunderous echoes subsided, the spectral figure of Lisa Sherwood disappeared, her vengeance seemingly satisfied.
All that remained was Norman’s lifeless body sprawled on the floor and Claire’s pulsating fear. In the aftermath, her world had irrevocably changed. The man she had loved was no more, his secrets unearthed, his lies exposed. As the storm began to calm, the chilling silence was broken only by the rhythm of her own heart, a haunting reminder of the climax that had just played out. She was left with nothing but the echo of the truth, forever shattering her perception of ‘What Lies Beneath’.
Chapter 10 – “A Haunting End”
The storm outside mirrored the tempest of Claire’s emotions. The silent echo of Norman’s confession still hung in the air, heavy as the threatening storm clouds. His guilt-ridden face had revealed the dark truth she’d been seeking: Norman had murdered Lisa Sherwood, his own student, and the ghost that had persisted in haunting their lives.
Lightning cracked mercilessly, illuminating Norman’s pale face, stricken with terror. In that flickering light, Claire saw the man she had loved for years turn into a stranger. The wealth of memories they had built together were overshadowed by this gruesome fact.
The amorphous spirit of Lisa Sherwood, now a raging presence, swirled around Norman. Unable to bear the wrath anymore, Norman broke down, cowering under the spectral assault. The once composed man was reduced to a pitiful spectacle, crumpled under the weight of his ungodly crime.
Claire, stricken with fear yet empowered by vindication, watched the macabre scene unfold. Her heart pounded in her chest like a desperate drummer beating a wild rhythm of terror and shock. She felt the floor beneath her shift as the house seemed to groan and shudder with the fury of the wroth spirit and the churning storm.
The spectral figure of Lisa Sherwood struck out at Norman once more, a howling vortex of supernatural anger. He cried out as if he had been physically hit, the raw eerie sound echoing through the house. The manifestations of guilt and supernatural revenge merged with the furious flurry of the storm, creating a climax that was both horrifying and mesmerizing at the same time.
Desperate, Norman tried to flee, but the relentless spirit was not done. It pursued him mercilessly, a relentless force of wrath and vengeance. Norman fell, his body shaking violently from unfathomable fear. He looked towards Claire, his eyes pleading for her help. But what could she do? He was the victim of his own sins, a ghastly fate he had brought upon himself.
As if in response to his pleads, the storm outside peaked, and with it, Lisa Sherwood’s spirit rose to an ethereal climax. With a final wailing screech that rattled the old house to its very foundations, the spirit lunged at Norman one last time. His scream of terror was drowned out by the cacophony of the storm and the spectral vengeance. Then, there was silence.
Claire found herself alone in the desolated silence that followed. Where Norman had fallen, there was now nothing but the empty, pitiful remains of a man who had lost himself to his own sins. The storm had finally started to recede, leaving behind a chilling calm. The spirit of Lisa Sherwood had gone, her vengeance finally fulfilled.
The echo of the phantom whispers had faded, replaced by the silence of the morning. The haunting was over, the tormentor tormented, and the souls set free. But Claire was left with the remnants of the horror, her life forever marred by the cruel twist of fate.
She was left alone in the aftermath, a widow haunted not just by the ghost of her husband’s victim, but by the specter of the man she had once loved. The chilling horror of ‘What Lies Beneath’ had come to a terrifying yet somber end. But the remnants of the past would linger, a ghostly shadow that would forever taint her memory of love and marriage.
As she looked out the shattered window, towards the storm-tossed lake, Claire realized she was no longer afraid of the whispers, the apparitions, or the supernatural. The true horror lay in the secrets kept by the people she loved and the chilling fact that sometimes, the real danger was not in the unknown but hidden beneath the facade of normalcy. What lies beneath indeed.
Some scenes from the movie What Lies Beneath written by A.I.
Scene 1
FADE IN:
INT. SPENCER HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
An old, grand home. Warm, yet filled with silence. CLAIRE SPENCER, a woman in her 40s – elegant yet disturbed, is alone, sitting on the sofa reading a book.
Suddenly, a faint WHISPER echoes through the room. She stops, listening.
CLAIRE
Did you say something, Norman?
She turns towards an empty chair. Her face grows anxious as she realizes she’s alone. The room echoes with whispers again.
CUT TO:
INT. SPENCER HOUSE – HALLWAY – NIGHT
Claire walks along a dim hallway, following the whispers. She enters –
INT. SPENCER HOUSE – BEDROOM – NIGHT
The whispers grow louder. She looks around, eyes wide. Suddenly, she sees a fleeting GHOSTLY IMAGE in the mirror. She GASPS, stepping back.
NORMAN (O.S.)
What’s wrong, Claire?
Norman appears at the doorway. Claire turns toward him, slightly tearing up.
CLAIRE
There was a woman…In the mirror..
Norman walks over, examines the mirror and smiles reassuringly.
NORMAN
There’s no one, Claire. You’re just tired.
Claire, not convinced, gazes at the mirror, then back at Norman. The echoes of the whispers linger in her ears.
FADE OUT.
Scene 2
FADE IN:
INT. CLAIRE’S CAR – NIGHT
Claire is alone in her car, driving on a desolate country road. Her eyes are focused on the road, a hint of fear in them. The car radio plays an eerie tune.
RADIO (V.O.)
“A phantom of delight…”
Suddenly, the radio flips stations, unsettling Claire. She tries to correct it.
CLAIRE
(speaking to herself)
“Stupid electronics…”
Suddenly, the RADIO blares out a woman’s SCREAM. Claire jumps, losing control of the vehicle. She swerves, regains control.
In the REARVIEW MIRROR – A ghastly woman’s face, pale and terrified, appears.
Claire SCREAMS, swerves again, hits something, and her car flips.
CUT TO BLACK:
The sound of METAL SCRAPING against GRAVEL.
FADE IN:
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD – NIGHT
Claire’s car is crashed, smoke billowing out. Claire is unconscious, head on the steering wheel.
Suddenly, she stirs. Blood trickles down her forehead. She looks around, dazed.
CLAIRE
(grimacing)
“What… What was that?”
She looks in the rearview mirror – EMPTY.
CLAIRE
(whispering)
“Was it real… or am I imagining…?”
FADE OUT:
END OF SCENE
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 3
INT. CLAIRE’S HOME – DAY
Claire, a middle-aged woman with deep, uneasy eyes, paces nervously. She scans the room, her gaze falling on her husband’s study. Something draws her in.
INT. NORMAN’S STUDY – DAY
She enters, her eyes searching. She notices a bookshelf, heavily loaded. A picture frame at the corner catches her attention. Taking a breath, she reaches for it but it slips, revealing a hidden photograph.
INSERT – PHOTOGRAPH
A young woman, blonde, mid-twenties, smiles back. Scribbled on the corner is “Lisa Sherwood.”
BACK TO SCENE
Claire’s heart pounds harder. She opens the drawer and finds a newspaper clipping.
INSERT – NEWSPAPER CLIPPING
“Local Student Mysteriously Vanishes – Lisa Sherwood”
BACK TO SCENE
Her eyes widen with dread. She hears footsteps approaching. Panicked, she shoves the photograph and clipping back into the drawer, just as NORMAN walks in.
NORMAN
Thought I heard you in here.
CLAIRE
(Attempting to appear casual)
Just looking for a book.
Their eyes meet briefly, she smiles falteringly, and exits the room.
INT. CLAIRE’S HOME – NIGHT
Claire, unable to sleep, sits at her desktop, typing “Lisa Sherwood” into a search engine. The screen floods with articles about her disappearance.
FADE OUT.
Scene 4
INT. CLAIRE’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
The room is dimly lit. Claire, a middle-aged woman with anxious eyes, sits at a table. She is surrounded by MARY, her neighbor, and PAUL, the local medium. At the center of the table, a Ouija board.
MARY
(whispering)
Are you sure about this, Claire?
CLAIRE
(resolute)
Absolutely.
Paul instructs Claire and Mary to place their fingers lightly on the planchette. They do so.
PAUL
(speaking softly)
Spirit, if you are here with us, give us a sign.
The planchette begins to move slowly, gliding over the board. It spells out L-I-S-A.
PAUL
(reading out)
L…I…S…A… Lisa?
Paul looks at Claire, who nods.
CLAIRE
(tearful)
Lisa Sherwood. Norman’s student.
The planchette starts moving wildly.
CLAIRE
(choked)
Did Norman hurt you, Lisa?
The planchette stops abruptly, pointing towards YES. The room falls into a chilling silence, the horrifying reality sinking in.
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 5
FADE IN:
INT. CLAIRE’S STUDY – NIGHT
Claire (40s, attractive, intelligent) is huddled over her laptop. She types “Lisa Sherwood” into a search engine. The screen floods with news articles – “UNIVERSITY STUDENT MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARS”.
Closing her eyes, she exhales a shaky breath.
CUT TO:
EXT. NORMAN’S UNIVERSITY – DAY – FLASHBACK
Norman (40s, charming yet enigmatic), a university professor, subtly flirting with Lisa Sherwood (20s, naive and intelligent).
BACK TO:
INT. CLAIRE’S STUDY – NIGHT
Claire opens one of the articles. A photo of Lisa with Norman at a university event catches her eye. Her heart pounds louder.
CUT TO:
INT. CLAIRE AND NORMAN’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Claire confronts Norman, holding up the incriminating photo.
CLAIRE
(angry, betrayed)
Who is she, Norman?
NORMAN
(defensive, avoiding eye contact)
She was just a student…
CLAIRE
(interupting, louder)
A student who disappeared!
Norman falls silent, looking incredibly guilty.
FADE OUT:
TO BE CONTINUED…
FADE IN:
INT. CLAIRE’S STUDY – NIGHT
Claire, now doubting her sanity and her marriage, looks back at the screen – the line between past and present starts to blur.
FADE OUT.
Scene 6
INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT
Claire sits at the kitchen table, an old newspaper article about LISA SHERWOOD’s disappearance spread out before her. Norman enters, looking tired yet wary.
NORMAN
(Cautious)
Claire, are you alright?
CLAIRE
(Holding up the article)
Why did you hide this, Norman?
Norman freezes, staring at the article. A beat.
NORMAN
(Taken aback)
I… I didn’t think it was important…
CLAIRE
(Vehement)
You didn’t think your student’s disappearance was important?
NORMAN
(Nervously)
It was long ago…
CLAIRE
(Accusing)
You were having an affair with her, weren’t you?
Norman hesitates, then nods, looking guilty.
NORMAN
(Whisper)
Yes… but, it ended before she vanished. I swear.
Claire looks at him, her face a mixture of disbelief, hurt, and suspicion.
CLAIRE
(Suspicious)
And I should believe you because…?
Norman looks helpless. The tension hangs heavy in the room as the truth starts to unravel.
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 7
INT. SPENCER’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
The room is dark, save for the flickering candlelight. Claire is alone on the sofa, engrossed in a book but her mind elsewhere. The wind HOWLS outside.
Claire turns a page, but her eyes drift towards a picture of Norman and her.
Suddenly, she hears a SOFT WHISPER, growing louder — Lisa’s voice.
LISA’S VOICE (V.O.)
(whispering)
Norman…
Claire drops her book, her eyes wide. She looks around, the whisper still audible.
Suddenly, the room temperature drops. Claire wraps her arms around herself, shivering
Claire follows the sound, leading her to the bathroom. She slowly pushes the door, revealing a STEAMED MIRROR.
On it, a message slowly forms – “HE KILLED ME.”
Claire backs away, horrified. The Whispering ceases. Claire looks back at the mirror. The message disappears as quickly as it formed.
INT. SPENCER’S LIVING ROOM – LATER
Norman enters the house. Claire is waiting for him, her expressions stern.
CLAIRE
Did you know Lisa Sherwood?
Norman, taken aback, hesitates.
NORMAN
Yes. She was a student of mine.
CLAIRE
(quietly)
Did you kill her?
Norman looks at her, shocked. He stammers, denying the accusation. He reaches out to comfort her, but she moves away. Norman looks at Claire, his face a mix of guilt and sympathy.
FADE OUT: TO BE CONTINUED
