Tamara Stefano

**Tamara Stefano** is an opera writer and Visser building tenant.

## History

Mel gets to meet Tamara Stefano, who was born in Rome and had been in New York since she was 10. She says she can't remember how long she had lived there, but says that maybe 6 years since she needed a place that could fit her piano, since she is a composer. Mel says that she thought she heard her compose something the night before, but Tamara tells her that she was doing a show at the Sanctuary the night before. Tamara plays her some of her music, which creeps Mel out because she thought she remembered hearing it the night before. The telephone rings and Tamara leaves while Mel gets visibly uncomfortable and starts falling down. Jess asks if she is okay, but Mel says that the music is making her feel bad.

Dan watches Melody's tape meeting the composer and decides to call Mark, but he does not pick up. Dan leaves him a message telling him that he was doing alright but wants him to look up a composer named Tamara Stefano. He hears static on the phone and hears breathing.

Melody gets ready to see Tamara's opera and walks in. In the Sanctuary, she greets Tamara, who laughs when Melody she tells her that Samuel had invited her. She orders a beer and is greeted by Samuel. They watch Tamara's play, which makes Melody start to feel bad, so she goes somewhere quieter with Samuel. They go back to the bar and start talking about each other, guessing what they do for a living, which makes Melody realize why he was able to afford a penthouse. Melody tells Samuel that her camera was a present from her mom, who had died two years ago. She asks about the secret sex club, so Samuel says that she was probably talking about the Visser Historical Society, of which he was not officially a member, but he was sure that they would be more than happy to help her with her project.

After that, Dan goes to work on the next tape in which he sees Melody breathing shakily hearing some faint chanting coming from the air conditioning. She tries to wake Anabelle up, but she does not listen, so she turns the light off and walks downstairs. She reaches the community room and hears a woman sepeaking an ancient language through a speaker. As she keeps walking, she sees the tenants chanting. Samuel opens his eyes as Dan is confused while watching. The tenants are all chanting while looking forward at statue of a creature in the middle. They start breathing heavily until they stop suddenly and get up, greeting one another afterwards. Melody hides in the coat closet and walks out once everyone leaves. When she heads up, she heads to the statye, but hears a Samuel and Tamara approach, so she hides. Alone, Samuel and Tamara make out and start moaning until Samuel climaxes and suddenly there is a large buzz, which hurts Dan's ears.

Melody walks to Jess’s apartment, where they hear her calling for help. The furniture scrapes as Tamara opens up her door, complaining about the volume of Jess’s television. She tells Jess that Father Russo was there and was blasting the television as he usually did; Melody tells her that they need to go in, so Tamara hands her a key. Melody and Anabelle have a hard time opening the door, but once they get in the room, they see Father Russo making Jess drink something, so she pushes him out of the way after seeing Jess in pain. Jess begs her mom to stop, as Father Russo asks her to have courage. Suddenly, Samuel shows up and yells at them to stop, telling Father Russo that he was done there. John Smith grabs Father Russo and pushes him outside as Samuel asks Jess how she is doing. He tells Jess’s mother that Father Russo is a fraud and he has friends from Columbia who are experts in pediatric neurology, which he can pay for. They accept as Melody and Anabelle leave the room.

Jess wonders if Patricia told Melody about her tapes, which surprises her. Samuel brings a guest named Evie Crest who was outside and says she forgot the code. Cassandra introduces her to everyone as Dan wonders what she is doing there. Evie says that she had always been fascinated by Eleanor's work, as Samuel apologizes for sitting next to Melody. He explains that Cassandra rarely lets men stay, so he could not refuse, but Melody says it is fine. Cassandra tells them that Evie is William Crest's daughter. They say that he filmed The Circle, which was lost and inspired by a snuff film, which was about some sort of ritual sacrifice, which Cassandra is very interested in seeing and getting information on. Tamara interrupts and says that William died because of suicide, which provokes a lot of tension, which Evie admits to be true, but she does not want to accept that he had abandoned them. Cassandra tells her that there may be a way to speak to him from beyond since Beatriz is a very talented medium. After they both accept, they start making room as Melody grabs a pick and heads towards the cabinet.

Beatriz calls for the spirits and asks for the dead to be with them, calling for William. The candles start flickering and Beatriz starts shuddering. Evie asks if William is there, but Tamara tells her to ask him something only he would know. Evie asks about her sixth birthday and William recalls, so Evie is shocked. Cassandra tells her to ask him about the film, which confuses Evie, but she does as is asked and William says that the party was Peter Crawford's. Cassandra wants to know if they ever found a copy, so Evie asks, but William asks them to stay away and grows desperate as a demonic voice takes over Beatriz's voice. Once they lose connection to William, Cassandra tells her to try again, but Beatriz refuses, as Melody comforts Evie.

As she gets up, Melody is asked by Cassandra if there is somebody she would like to contact, but she says she does not, since she was not dead. However, Cassandra says that she does not know that for sure, so she sits down and hands Beatriz Julia Bennett's ring. Beatriz calls Julia, but the lights do not flicker and Beatriz apologizes, saying that she could not find her presence among the dead, which makes Melody feel relieved. However, as they touch hands, Beatriz feels someone else.

Dan keeps watching the tape and sees as Beatriz's eyes get white. She looks at Melody and says that she can get out of her way. She tells Melody that she knows she is a good person and that she cares about people. Beatriz thanks the other person and says she does not understand as Melody asks what is going on. Dan realizes that Beatriz is repeating the conversation he just had with Melody and she gets confused as well, saying that Beatriz could not know what was going on in her dreams and in her head. Casandra stops Beatriz, but she finishes what she was saying and starts scratching her face so hard, she starts bleeding. Tamara and Samuel get up, stopping her from scratching herself and tell the rest to call an ambulance.

Melody makes it to the art show, where Anabelle introduces her to a woman named Gabby; however, Melody wants to tell her something, saying that she could not go back to the Visser. Anabelle says that home is where the heart is and she was her heart, but she tells her that they would both leave the Visser. Anabelle takes her to see her paintings, which were of people who she did not know, but she felt her in the paintings. Anabelle tells her that it was "the other place" which the paint let her see, telling Melody that she was now a Spirit Receiver just like Eleanor. Melody pulls out her camera and starts recording the paintings, which worried her. She touches one and recognizes that it was the mold Chris was talking about. Tamara asks what the paintings are, but Melody wonders that herself. Tamara tells her that it was the same person as one of Eleanor's crazy spirit visions and had maybe given Anabelle a peek.

Melody rushes to Jess's house, where Tamara opens the door and tells her that they had gone to Florida the day before, but she pushes Tamara out of the way, since she had just seen Jess. However, when she walks inside, she sees the apartment is empty. Melody starts recording a video, saying that they had taken Jess and films. John says he does not understand what Melody is talking about when he mentions Jess and follows Melody. Samuel tries to stop her as well, telling her that Jess is gone, but Melody says that she would not let him do that to Jess. She runs out and sees two men walking towards her. They tell her that she needs to go with them, but Samuel asks who they are. Melody begs at the camera, asking to be found as Dr. Turner shows up, telling her that everything would be alright. Melody tries to escape, but the men grab her and she is taken away.

When Melody comes to, she is surrounded by Samuel, Tamara, and Cassandra while tied to a chair. The Circle is playing behind them and Samuel tells her that she had come back home. Melody tells him that his vessel was gone and not coming back, but Samuel says that that was fine since she was the one he really needed. Cassandra strokes Melody's hair as Tamara takes off her necklace and wears the black one. Samuel looks at Tamara in the eye, and she nods, accepting her fate. Everybody gets into position as Samuel begins speaking the ancient language, beginning the ritual.

Melody yells to be let out as Samuel begins the ritual and everybody begins humming and placing their masks on their face. John approaches Melody and grabs her, bringing her towards Samuel while she calls for help. Samuel grabs the knife and cuts the palm of her hand, which John places on the Kaelego figure, covering it in blood. After that, Tamara approaches Samuel, who slits her throat and she dies instantly. Samuel asks Kaelego to come forth and a blue portal opens above them and stretches into the ground. Inside the portal is Iris Vos, which Samuel does not understand. She looks at Melody, who turns around when Jess calls her name. Melody tells Jess to run and Iris turns around to look at her as well. Jess records everything as Iris vanishes and the portal starts covering everything.