Friendship’s power is truly amazing. We often go out of our way to make our pals smile. But, what if we held the power to impact not just our friends’ lives, but also the lives of people we don’t know? Would we use it wisely? It’s a thought-provoking question, indeed.
When Ryan Mitchell decided to step in at the last moment for a crucial job on his best friend’s wedding day, he was clueless about the eerie revelation that awaited him. What began as a kind gesture for a day filled with joy and happiness, soon spiraled into an unexpected and frightening twist.
Meet Ryan Mitchell
Ryan Mitchell was a native of Fresno, California, and during his teenage years, he would often be found hightailing it home after school. He was eager to jump into online gaming sessions with his buddies and dive into his explorations of coding and technology. His fascination primarily revolved around professional cameras and photography gear.
Ryan achieved excellent marks in computer science and graduated at the top of his class from UC Berkeley. Yet, after spending a significant portion of his life in front of a computer, he started to feel a sense of emptiness, as if he was missing out on something important.
Favorite Hobby
Although Ryan was aware that his skills in technology could offer him any job he desired in that industry, his heart was longing for something different. For the past 22 years, he had been residing in California but had not had the chance to venture out and see more of the world.
Ryan was aware that the world was so much vaster than his own small life, and inspired by a sudden impulse, he decided to go on a journey to South America for the fixed time of three months. While Ryan anticipated that this adventure would broaden his perspective, he couldn’t predict how immensely it was about to transform his existence.
Seeing the World
With only his backpack for company and his camera gear for documenting, Ryan went on an adventure by himself across six different nations. He took pleasure in creating small film clips of his experiences in each of these places. His photographic talent, that he had diligently worked on improving, resulted in the footage seeming quite high-level and professional.
It started dawning on Ryan that a three-month span would hardly be sufficient to visit all the places he had in mind. However, the affordability of travel was an issue. So, he devised a strategy to continue with his global exploration and simultaneously earn money to fund it.
Seven Years Later
Ryan started putting his camera and drone skills to good use as a self-employed photographer and videographer in every country he visited. He enthusiastically presented his impressive work compilations on social media platforms, and before he knew it, he was being sought after in every city on his itinerary by clients needing top-notch professional videos.
Ryan was able to sustain his traveling lifestyle thanks to his passion that fueled him, even when he was far from home. What was initially planned as a three-month journey soon evolved into seven incredible years of adventure and discovery. His travel itinerary led him from the vibrant landscapes of South America all the way to the exciting mysteries of Asia. Eventually, the realization dawned that his nomadic routine had an expiry date. So, just before he hit the significant age milestone of thirty, Ryan made a firm decision. His adventurous trail ended, and he chose to return to his roots in California.
Making the Sensible Move
For a period of seven years, Ryan had traveled and explored, learning about the world in a way he couldn’t have even dreamed of. Even though he was aware that the wise decision would be to settle down and focus on a stable profession in the field of computer science, he just couldn’t find the enthusiasm for it. His heart was clearly not inclined towards it.
With a bit of a reluctant heart, Ryan agreed to take on what, at one point, he would’ve seen as his dream role. The position was in IT consulting, an area he was knowledgeable in, carried a good salary and offered security. But just seven days before he was to begin this new chapter, an unexpected phone call arrived. It was from his old pal Ethan, who had a big favor to ask, one that had the potential to turn Ryan’s life path upside down.
Surprise Phone Call
On one Wednesday afternoon while he was busy getting ready for his new job in consulting, Ryan got a phone call from Ethan. It was unusual because Ethan usually liked to communicate through text messages instead of making calls. But Ryan picked up the phone right away, knowing that Ethan’s wedding was just around the corner–that weekend, in fact. So, Ryan figured that whatever Ethan had to say must have been pretty important.
As soon as Ryan answered the call, he could immediately sense the panic coursing through his old high school buddy on the line. Ethan blurted out, “Hey man, everything’s going wrong and I don’t know what to do, you’ve got to help me.” His voice reeked of desperation and Ryan knew he had to act swiftly to help his friend.
Falling Apart
Ethan was quick to share that he’d been working on his dream wedding plans for four years, and they were starting to unravel just when he was on the finish line. With only three days left until he was due to marry Ava, a woman he had known and cherished for years, their planned wedding photographer had backed out of their deal. The sudden cancellation left them stranded, threatening to ruin the joyful event Ethan had meticulously planned for so long.
Ryan had already sent back his response saying he was coming, and not by himself, he was also going to bring some of their old pals from high school on a trip to Big Sur for the important event. He was fully aware Ethan desperately needed him to fill the role of the wedding photographer on short notice. Yet, no one had any clue what this surprise responsibility would actually involve.
Saving the Day
Caught up in his worry, Ethan promised Ryan he would compensate him for his efforts on their wedding day. This was certainly going to be more than just an ordinary day for a wedding guest, but Ryan was more than proficient in controlling a drone and capturing pictures. Actually, he was beyond just good at it—he was outstanding.
Ryan pacified his best friend and assured him that he would be more than happy to take on the role of the wedding photographer for Ethan and Ava’s special day. He insisted on doing it from a place of love and friendship, without accepting monetary compensation for his labor. “Think of it as an extra wedding gift for fifteen years of friendship,” Ryan clarified, eager to contribute to the best day of his friends’ lives in his own unique way.
Don’t Mess This Up
Time was short for Ryan, with only a few minutes existing to capture the video before everyone needed to be seated for the ceremony. Regardless, Ryan was unbothered by the time constraint; confidently recognizing that he could seize the special moment in those fleeting minutes. The eerie forest behind him served as an ideal setting. His drone, with its buzzing sound, began to ascend from the ground, all set to capture the anticipated moment.
Being the expert, Ryan guided the group on where to stand, and explained when they should look up and smile for the camera as the drone flew across the entire area, capturing the beauty of the venue. He adjusted the positions with precise care, doing his best to cover all the glorious aspects of the place.
Seeing Red
As the flying drone began to crest over the grand house, moving towards the woodland behind it, Ryan kept his eyes glued to the viewing display, taking in every detail the machine’s camera was capturing. He couldn’t resist the urge to steer the gadget deeper into the greenery, determined to record just one more fascinating clip.
Ryan was busy trying to maneuver the drone back over the gathering from high up in the sky when a peculiar sight on the forest floor grabbed his attention. It was a challenge to make out the details from that altitude, but there was an undeniable sight in a little opening among the trees. Contrasting the usual palette of the surroundings, an unexpected patch of red caught his eye.
Sticking Out
Ryan found himself drawn to a peculiar shape that stood out amongst the forest surroundings. He was uncertain about what it was exactly, yet upon spotting it, the festive wedding crowd seemed to fade from his view. Ryan wasn’t clearly able to explain why it was, but he had an instinctual understanding that the thing he saw was out of the ordinary.
The more Ryan guided his drone to zoom in on the conspicuous red object, the fuzzier the image got. Despite the pixelation and cloudiness, Ryan was pretty sure what he was looking at appeared to be a bright red ribbon simply dropped and forgotten on the leaf-littered floor of the forest.
It’s Not Alone
Ryan felt his pulse quicken as he recognized the sight of a red ribbon scattered in the woods. As he surveyed the surroundings to figure out why it might be there, his eyes landed on another object not too far away from the ribbon’s location.
The image wasn’t clear at first, but something was glittering, catching the rays of the sun as they shone through the leaves of the forest. Ryan initially suspected it to be a toy, but as the drone carefully descended closer into the open landscape, he realized it was not a toy after all. It was a little shoe that belonged to a child.
Back Into Focus
As the bits of the puzzle came together, Ryan felt a chill creep into his blood. But just when his thoughts began leading him astray, he pulled himself back to the task he was supposed to be focusing on—Filming the wedding’s merry moments. Then, out of the blue, he heard his name being called by the maid of honor. He suddenly realized he had been engrossed in monitoring the drone’s video feed so intensely that his absence had finally been noticed by the wedding party.
The crowd at the wedding was growing impatient and it was clear that it was time for the main event to start. Ryan definitely shouldn’t be out exploring the woods when the most critical part of the day was about to begin.
The Main Event
All Ryan yearned for was to ensure that the spotlight stayed on Ethan and Ava, it was their special day after all. Despite the terrifying secrets he had stumbled upon in the forest troubling his thoughts greately, he strived to push them aside. His aim was at least to delay his ensuing panic until the nuptials and his responsibility of capturing them through his camera lens were satisfactorily completed.
Ryan secured his documents and moved along with the wedding entourage towards the place on the property where a beautiful canopy had been arranged for the nuptial ceremony. Overwhelmed by the sight he’d witnessed, Ryan was torn between sharing the incident with Ethan or keeping it to himself. However, he realized that now was not the most appropriate moment to do so.
Not Making It Up
The team quietly gathered around the shoe and ribbon, making certain not to disturb these objects that were both evidently aged and worth being cautious around. The possibility this could be a crime scene was on their minds. Carefully securing the items in bags for safety, the officers insisted that everyone needed to leave the woodland area and return promptly to the ongoing ceremony.
Ryan handed an officer his phone number, pleading with him to get in touch if he discovered more clues about the case. At that point, they had no choice but to go on with their special celebration, nervously waiting to hear any new updates the police could provide.
