#rcd matt

Claustrophobia, fear of small spaces. 

 Ever since her cousin’s boyfriend had thought it was funny to shut her up in the trunk of their car during the fireworks at their community New Years party when she was barely ten years old, Samantha had been deathly afraid of being in any enclosed space for any period of time. The vivid memory of banging desperately on the metal roof of the trunk, screaming and sobbing at the top of her lungs for someone to get her out. The darkness was the worst, it had enclosed her on all sides, seeming to filter through her nostrils and invade her airways to where she could feel it filling up her lungs until she could barely breathe. When her dad had finally found her an hour after the fireworks had finished, she’s been reduced to a sobbing, shivering wreck and the phobia had taken a lifelong root in her. Even now, almost a decade and a half later, she still seized up a little when the elevator doors took a touch longer to open than she expected. 

 You are a grown woman Samantha, she told herself. Its just one small scene that will be over before you know it. No biggie. You can do this.

‘Miss Evans we need you on set in five.’

This was it. She could do this. It was only for two minutes, Tommy had assured her and she’d reluctantly agreed. Throwing one last glance at her reflection in the mirror, clad in a skintight black catsuit, Samantha reluctantly exited the trailer, against her better judgement. 

-

Tommy and his assistant were already waiting when she arrived. 

‘Samantha, baby! There’s our shining star!’ He bellowed across the wide set. ‘You ready for some boom, boom today?’ 

She have him a weak nod, taking in the vast warehouse they’d been using for a set, set up perfectly by the prop department to resemble a realistic junkyard. When her eyes landed on the crane and the safe sitting below it, her stomach flipped. 

 I didn’t realise it was that small. 

‘Samantha babe, you with us?’ Tommy’s voice brought her back to the present before her fear could take root. 

 ‘Mon dieu, concentrate will you?’ Apricot sneered from the side as she walked up with Matt, the pair of them dressed in their costumes. 

Matt gave her a reassuring smile and Samantha returned it half-heartedly. As they listened to Tommy’s rundown of the scene, she couldn’t stop the feeling of dread from building behind her sternum. When Matt and Apricot moved off with the B-team to film their scene, Tommy turned to her a brilliant smile on his face.

‘Alright sweet cheeks let get you in that safe and get this baby on the roll for the boom, boom!’ 

Samantha didn’t want to do this, she really didn’t but she balled her fists and gritted her teeth, forcing herself to appear calm even if she was already kicking and screaming on the inside. She forcefully reminded herself that this was her first big movie. While Tender Nothings struck the Hollywood lottery with its success, that wouldn’t last forever and to maintain her career she needed to do something that would showcase her range. Small town girls like you don’t always get the opportunities you got, Sam. 

 She was lucky really to have the starring role in a Tommy Phelps blockbuster, hundred of young aspiring actresses would have killed to be in her place while here she was chickening out because of some stupid incident that happened over ten years ago. If Tommy wasn’t impressed, she risked getting dropped from the movie and the next girl in line would only be too happy to take her place. Try as she may, Samantha could not shake the feeling of dread off her as she attempted to listen attentively to Nate the stunt coordinator who was explaining how the mechanics worked. 

 ‘We’ve got a camera on the inside so we’ll be able to see you but just in case we’ve installed a failsafe button in the bottom right corner on the floor. After you’ve gone through your movements, pretending to kicking that door down, hit that and it will bust the door open. We’ll film you rolling out of the safe next but for now just focus on the inner work. Any questions?’ 

Only about one hundred. 

Samantha shook her head, unable to voice any even if she tried. The stun man nodded and motioned towards where the safe was and she stared at the door for a moment. 

 I can do this… right?

She glanced over her shoulder to find receive a confused wave from Chadley and an enthusiastic gesture from Tommy, urging her to climb in. Balling her fists in determination, she swallowed thickly and allowed the crew to help her inside, contorting her body to wedge herself inside the small space. Every cell shrieked at her to stop, but she shoved the feelings down allowed them to close the safe door. As it swung shut with deafening finality, she tried not to think of the way the sunlight gave way to the unending darkness that immediately surrounded her. 

Samantha couldn’t help but flinch as a loud creak rang out, the sound of the safe being lifted in the air and she fought to steady her breathing, bracing her hands on the sides of the safe as it rocked dizzyingly in the air. She shut her eyes tight and fought to steady her breathing. When it reached the required height, Tommy’s oily voice crackled through the earpiece she was wearing.

‘Showtime babe. Gimme your best GRR face.’ 

Summoning every inch of courage she had,Samantha attempted to pull herself into the character of super spy, feeling the sweat beginning to drip down her back. ‘Falcon!’ She yelled angrily, hoping her voice didn’t wobble too much. ‘You son of a bitch! Let me out.’ 

She waited the correct amount of time to visualise Matt’s response before yelling again. 

 ‘You’re not getting away with this. I’m going to bring you down even if it kills me!’ 

 At that she aimed a few well placed kicks at the sides of the safe, feigning the struggle to get out. The motion made it swing wildly in the air and Samantha was barely able to keep her stomach under control. When the sequence came to the end, she was more than happy to punch the little button on the floor like the stunt man had instructed, only hoping her relief wouldn’t have ruined the shot. 

For a horribly long nothing happened and her brow furrowed. 

 That doesn’t seem right.. 

Her fingers found the button and she gave it a hard push for good measure, thinking perhaps that would do the trick. 

 Still nothing. 

 Panic began to seep through Samantha as she pressed the button repeatedly in her desperation. 

‘I’m stuck,’ she choked out, hand flying to the ear piece on the left side of her head. ‘I’m stuck. Tommy I’m stuck.’ 

‘Calm down doll,’ Tommy’s voice filtered through, sounding nonplussed at her obvious panic. ‘You’re fine. Just a little technical difficulty. We’re gonna lower you down and the stunt team will get you out in a sec.’ 

Despite his abysmal attempt at reassuring her, Samantha felt her heart rate increase and her chest began to rise and fall at an alarming rate. She knew it was just all in her head but repeating that out loud had no effect on the rising wave of panic in her chest. The walls seemed to close around her, solid and unforgiving, the darkness invading her senses until it paralysed her. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to calm herself down but the frenzy had already escalated to irreversible levels. It was like  she was ten years old again, back in the trunk of the car, pounding on the metal until her knuckled bled, screaming until her throat was raw for someone to get her out. 

 'Get me out. I need to get out, somebody help me!’ Samantha hadn’t realised she was voicing this out loud, limbs flailing inside the until Tommy’s voice crackled over the ear piece. 

‘Geez babe, no need to go all godzilla on us. Nate’s getting you out now.’ His condescending tone relieved her panic for a fleeting moment as the sound of the key at the safe door rattled through her overloaded senses. 

 Get me out, get me out, get me out. How long does it take to open a goddamn safe? 

 ‘Shit its stuck! Jimmy go get someone from the prop department. The fucking lock's jammed.’ 

His words made the blood froze in her veins. It was stuck. She was stuck. This was how she’d die. In a tiny box surrounded by nothing but cold blackness. The air seemed to thicken uncomfortably, taking each breath required a major effort as it felt like her chest was constructing in on itself. Hot tears ran down her face, as she sobbed out a loud howl, giving way to a full blown wail. She could hear shouts from the other side of the door. People rushing about, jimmying the lock, shouting directions to each other before one voice rang out above the rest, penetrating through the frenzy holding her captive.

‘Samantha! Sam can you hear me?’ ‘Matt,’ she sobbed weakly. 

‘Matt, help me. Please..’ 

‘I’m coming baby. I’m coming. I’ll get you out of there now I promise.’ His voice though strained had a peculiarly calming effect on her and her chest seemed to ease just the slightest. Matt would get her out. He wouldn’t let her down. She squeezed her eyes shut again, flinching as she heard a loud bang on the safe door. 

‘Careful Rodriguez!’ She could hear Tommy hissing. ‘That’s Montmarte property!’ 

'Fuck off Tommy. I’m getting her out now. Montmarte be dammned.’ Matt growled back angrily. 

 A few thunderous clangs later and the tiny door was wrenched open. Samantha instinctively crawled to the light as it seared her eyeballs, limbs shaking, barely able to hold herself up but she needed to get of of here. Strong arms reached in, grabbing and pulling her out of the tiny space. ‘It’s okay. I’ve got you Sam. I’ve got you.’ Matt soothed, supporting her limp body she sobbed. 'You’re safe baby, you’re okay.’

‘Matt,’ she croaked hoarsely, clutching onto him as if her life depended on it, still fighting for breath. ‘Matt I…I was so scared..’ 

From somewhere off the side, Apricot started to make an off handed comment in French but a look from Matt silenced her. 

 ‘I know.. but you’re okay now. You’re okay.’ His hands rubbed soft circles on her back, as he began to steer her back to where their trailers were, the gathered crew members parting before them. ‘You’re safe with me.’ 

Matt lead her not to her trailer but his and after settling her on the plush couch with a blanket, he made her a hot cup of tea in the kitchenette. She’d barely taken the first sip when someone rapped at the door. 

 ‘Sammie baby you finished in there? Daylights burning and we need to get a move on with Take Two over here,’ Tommy’s voice filtered through from the other side. 

 Samantha's eyes widened. In her panic she’d totally forgotten they were still filming. The thought of going back in that safe almost made her throw up but Tommy knocked again, his tone irritated. 

 ’Evans quit playing around. We haven’t got all day you know.’ 

 She took a deep breath and made to get up before Matt stopped her. ’Sam, you’re in no position to position to get back in there. You’ve barely stopped shivering.’ 

‘I know but-‘ 

‘But nothing,’ he replied firmly, his voice brooking no argument and before she could speak, he’d walked over to the door and pulled it open. 

 ‘Matty my dude, ready to-‘ 

‘We’re done shooting for today Tommy,’ he retorted in that same firm tone. ‘Unless you want the studio execs to hear about how you placed an actress’ life in danger by not checking the safety mechanism on the props.’ 

Samantha had barely time to hear the director’s response when Matt shut the door pointedly behind him and turned to her. 

 ‘How are you feeling?’ 

‘Much better… But aren’t we going to mess up the filming schedule? Tommy’s already on a tight budget and if they find out I delayed it-‘ 

‘Then I’ll take a blame for it,’ he replied smoothly, coming to sit next to her. His eyes scanned her concernedly, glancing over her form for any injuries. ‘No scene is worth causing trauma for.’ 

 Samantha felt tears prick the back of her eyes as she gazed into his handsome face, beginning to smile a little. She wasn’t actually sure where the both of them stood — they’d never talked about it, preferring to just let it play out naturally — but she was glad to have someone in her corner she could count on. Feeling a spurt of courage, she leaned across and kissed him softly on the lips. Matt reciprocated eagerly, drawing her in close, hands winding around her waist as her hand came up to cup his cheek affectionately. 

 ’Thank you.’ Her voice was a whisper but it held all her emotion in it. 

 ‘It was nothing.’ 

 ‘No its not,’ she replied, scooting closer to him. ‘You were the only one who realised this was a big deal for me and you got me out. You did got me out. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have someone like you in my corner.’ 

‘Samantha you’ve always had me,’ Matt replied, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. ‘You’re an amazing woman. I should be the one considering themselves lucky.’ 

A soft smile curved across her face. ‘How about we call it a draw?’ 

‘I can live with that.’ He punctuated the statement with another kiss.