Lada always shied away from the spotlight and public appearances, but the City of Lights had its own plan for the girl. However, as one crime follows another and the level of cruelty escalates like a snowball, the settled life of a fragile, big-eyed...
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"This is not possible. You can't be here," a sad voice stated a hopeless fact with farewell irony. "The last thing I wanted was for you to be erased."
***
Lada blinked several times, trying to moisten her dry eyes. She shook her head as if to clear away the thick fog clouding her thoughts. She had been sitting still in the darkroom for so long that her face felt numb, and her fingers were cold and stiff. The delicate, lace-like pattern of her sky-blue veins peeked through her pale skin. Lada's large brown eyes, framed by jet-black lashes, stayed wide open with a crystalline expression, looking deep into her thoughts. This sight might have surprised or even frightened a passerby, but the workshop employees had left long ago.
Girl shifted in the director's chair, placing a hand on her chest in an attempt to calm her racing heart. She glanced around and realized she was in a quiet corner of the empty studio. The glass windows of the offices fragmented the sound from a forgotten TV into bizarre, disjointed snippets. Echoes of breaking news reverberated through the backstage corridors, adding to the eerie gloom of the deserted space.
The spotlights had cooled, the electrical wires were neatly coiled, and the filming equipment was carefully packed away. The props were ready to be moved to storage. The team had just wrapped up the final episode of a TV series that had captivated millions of viewers. The sound and video recordings had been handed over for the final edit, the set was dismantled, and the employees were granted a well-deserved break.
The production crew had already gathered at the nearest bar to celebrate the success of the show. They were sharing favorite memories, discussing the dynamics of the project, laughing at inevitable mishaps, and marveling at the show's journey. The creators were in love with their work, eagerly fantasizing about the bright future of the story.
It has long been known that the producers had approved a second season. Updated contracts were waiting on the HR desk, and the new shooting schedule was ready for manager approval. The script for the second season was top secret, so no one knew exactly who would be returning.
Lada realized she was late for the celebration. She forced herself to wear a smile, pinched her cheeks to make them blush, and tried to transform back into the friendly, playful girl everyone knew. Even though she feelt far from festive, she wanted to fit in. She took one last look around the studio, as if saying goodbye, and nervously twirled a strand of her silky light-brown hair around her finger. How long had she been sitting in the darkness? Minutes? Hours? She couldn't tell.
***
The series is called "Sound from the Underground". The pilot episode aired just two weeks ago, and the ratings have already surpassed expectations. Even the creators didn't expect such a quick and enthusiastic response from the audience! The fandom grew rapidly, attracting a diverse and lively crowd. Fans eagerly followed the production, searching for updates on the cast, collecting rare photos, and hunting for juicy details. The show sparked a surge of humorous memes, Reels, and TikToks across social media.
