"Are you going to stick to me all night?"
A tall young man turned around with obvious annoyance as he looked at the boy next to him.
"I thought you wanted me to come to the party with you."
"Yeah, yeah, sure…" he clicked his tongue. "But not for you to follow me around like a shadow. For once, do something on your own, will you? Have a beer, talk to some girl… and for God's sake, put that camera away. You look like a total freak."
Inside a barn converted into a nightclub, neon lights cut through the darkness like colorful lightning. The floor vibrated under the thumping of electronic music, and the smell of alcohol and sweat mixed in the dense air.
Among the crowd jumping and laughing, a young man held his "little" hobby: a disproportionately large studio camera with a long lens and a sturdy body. It wasn't the kind of equipment you'd sneak around with; every time he turned, someone had to move aside to avoid getting accidentally hit.
"A drink?" asked a girl dressed in a sparkling dress, holding out a tray full of glasses.
"Thanks."
Noah, hidden under a transformation jutsu, accepted the glass casually. His current appearance was that of an ordinary boy no older than 18, with dark hair and a distracted expression.
Without taking his eyes off the young man with the camera, he brought the glass to his lips and took a generous swig.
"Ugh!" he coughed, bringing the back of his hand to his mouth. "It's straight vodka!"
The liquid went down like liquid fire through his throat, making him wince involuntarily. He set the glass down on a nearby table without finishing it.
"What a waste…"
Shaking his head slightly, Noah wove through the crowd while following the young man with the camera.
At first glance, this seemed like a very ordinary world. But soon, the teenager he was watching, along with his two friends, would gain unimaginable powers.
The story of the movie Chronicle revolved around three teenagers —Matt, Steve, and Andrew— who acquired telekinetic powers after a mysterious discovery and ended up losing control.
"Hey! Hello!"
A blonde girl with a lively smile planted herself in front of the young man with the big camera, holding a small camera between her hands. The lens gleamed as it reflected the violet flashes from the dance floor.
"Hey! What are you filming for?"
"Um… I-I don't know, I…"
"I can't hear you!"
The music exploded from the speakers, deep and constant. The girl took another step, tilting her head to bring her ear closer.
The young man swallowed and raised his voice.
"I do it for fun!"
"Ah! That's cool!" she smiled. "I film for my blog!"
Before he could add anything else—
"Andrew!"
The other guy appeared out of nowhere, stepping between them.
"Hey, hi, Tracy. How's it going?"
"Hi. Great, all good."
"This place is crap, don't you think?"
Tracy tilted her head, confused, and slowly turned the lens toward him.
"Why do you think it's crap?"
The guy adjusted his jacket, looking for a pose.
"Well… Jung said that parties are just an individual's mechanism for seeking collective validation. I don't consider myself the kind of person who likes these things."
"Wow…" Tracy blinked. "What a way to bring analytical psychology into a barn party, Matt. I'm amazed… amazed."
"You're the amazing one," Matt shot back, trying to regain ground.
But Tracy had already turned her camera toward the dance floor and walked away without looking back.
From the side, leaning against a wooden beam, Noah watched the scene with amusement.
"Heh… what a cringey move. But it reminds me of my youth."
A brief laugh escaped his lips. Matt had tried to sound deep only to end up sounding pretentious.
"Hey, Matt!" Andrew shouted between laughs as he filmed his friend. "What did Jung say about glow sticks? Ha ha!"
Matt raised his middle finger toward the huge camera.
"He said you should shove them up your ass!"
Both burst out laughing. Matt turned around and disappeared into the crowd in search of another opportunity.
Noah narrowed his eyes, following Andrew's movement as he readjusted the frame.
"Hey, dude…" a heavy hand landed on Andrew's shoulder. "Are you filming my girl? Is that what you're doing?"
Andrew froze.
In front of him, on an elevated platform, a blonde in a sparkling dress danced under the lights, and the lens of his huge camera was intentionally pointing at her.
"N-no, no way!" Andrew stammered. "I wasn't filming anyone in particular, just… the party."
The grip on his shoulder tightened.
"I'm going to smash that perverted bastard face of yours."
"But I wasn't even film—!"
"Don't talk back, asshole!"
Without warning, the guy threw the contents of his glass at him. Beer soaked Andrew's shirt and splattered the camera. The liquid ran down the lens, distorting the lights into golden blotches.
Andrew barely had time to react.
The punch sank into his stomach with violence.
The air escaped his lungs in a strangled gasp. His knees gave way and he fell to the ground.
Andrew stayed on the floor for a few seconds, curled up, trying to catch his breath. When he finally managed to get up, the first thing he did was check his camera with trembling hands.
The casing was damp and the lens was stained.
Face burning with shame, he clumsily gathered his equipment and pushed through the crowd. This time he didn't try to film anything and hurried out through the barn door.
Behind the row of parked cars, the grass was wet with night dew. Andrew dropped the camera beside him and lay on his back, breathing heavily.
Then he turned over on himself and began to cry.
"Andrew? Andrew!"
Andrew sat up abruptly and wiped his tears on his soaked sleeve before the approaching figure could see him in that state.
"You're the one with the camera, right?" asked the newcomer, pointing at the huge piece of equipment lying on the grass. "Can we use that thing of yours?"
"What?"
"We've discovered something awesome. We want to film it."
Andrew blinked.
"I-it's just…"
"What's wrong with you, dude?" the guy frowned when he saw him. "Are you okay?"
Andrew straightened his back, forcing a smile.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm Andrew."
"Oh, right." The other snapped his fingers. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Steve. Steve Montgomery."
He extended his hand naturally.
Andrew hesitated for a fraction of a second before shaking it.
"Yeah, I know who you are."
"Oh, really? Well… good." Steve looked over his shoulder toward the darkness beyond the parking lot. "Matt and I were wandering around the woods and we found something… weird."
Andrew tensed his fingers around the strap of his camera.
"You're with Matt?"
"Yeah." Steve lowered his voice a little. "You should come. Seriously. You have to film it."
Andrew looked at the barn in the distance. Colored lights flickered in the windows.
"I don't know, actually…"
"Come on, dude. It's incredible. Trust me."
"Okay."
Andrew stood up, slinging the camera over his shoulder.
Without realizing it, a third figure detached itself from the nearby shadows as both began walking toward the dark line of trees.
Noah watched them head into the forest.
His eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
And, keeping his distance like a patient predator, he followed them.