A small horror story...
It’s after midnight when Cassie locks the front doors
behind the last few stragglers of the late night movie. In the front of the
movie theater she begins methodically sweeping the debris of candy and popcorn,
dropping empty cups into garbage bags as she goes. ‘People can be such slobs,’ she thinks disgusted, grateful it’s an
old one room theater with only a small balcony, lobby and bathroom in need of
cleaning. Her co-worker went home sick, so she’s stuck by herself. Bent under a
seat to get a box of chocolate, the catchy sound of “Let’s All Go to the Lobby”
gets her attention. ‘Somebody lost a cell
phone,’ she decides. Scanning the seats she spots a shape at the back of
the theater in the balcony’s shadow.
“Hello?” Cassie
calls out tentatively, pulling a small flashlight from her pocket, walking
closer. She could’ve sworn the seats were empty when she came through earlier.
“I’m sorry, Sir, we’re closed.”
Caught in the beam
of light is a man slumped in the seat. Head tipped forward his slit throat
spills down the front of his shirt seasoning the red splattered tub of popcorn
in his lap with a coppery tang. A squealing shriek rips from her throat as the
flashlight falls from numb trembling fingers. Cassie’s heart falters, thumping
away at a staggering beat. ‘Run!’ her
mind screams in panic. ‘Now!’
Racing into the
lobby she grabs her cell phone and keys from behind the candy counter. Crossing
to the door she fumbles with the deadbolt twisting with all her might.
Grunting, the metal refusing to budge, her hand flies free as one of her
fingernails rips off. Biting back a scream, exposed nerves on fire, she
clutches the injury. ‘Screw it,’
Cassie decides taking deep ragged breaths, ‘I’m
breaking the glass.’
Unhooking the
velvet ropes used to corral patrons she picks up a gleaming golden pole,
wielding it like a bat as she swings at the door. THRACK! The force vibrates up
her arms, turning muscle to jell-o, but the glass doesn’t crack. Rearing back
for another swing the lights give a loud humming BRRZZZTCRICK and explode.
Dropping, Cassie covers her head as a shower of glass rains on her. Plunged
into darkness she lifts the pole, tightening her grip for another go at the
door. A flicker of movement in the glass catches her eye. Someone is behind
her. With a shrill banshee shriek she whips around swinging, the pole
connecting with something solid and meaty.
A body crashes in
the darkness and Cassie runs, racing up the stairs to the balcony. She can
barricade herself in the projection room. Tripping, stumbling, heart thundering
in her ears, she smacks into the rail of the balcony teetering dangerously.
Pulling herself upright Cassie fumbles in the darkness, banging into seats,
groping for the door. Movement echoes up from below with the sound of humming.
Heart seized in panic, gasping, suffocating, she chokes on air. Somebody’s
coming! Desperately she rips out her cell phone using the dim light to find the
projection booth. Slipping inside she turns the lock dragging shelves, chairs,
and anything that moves in front of the door. The Humming grows louder as
footsteps come from the balcony. Jumping away from the door, Cassie crouches,
praying they won’t get her.
Someone starts
singing.
“Let’s all.”
The floor creaks.
“Go to the.”
Shoes shuffle.
“Lobby.”
The doorknob
jingles.
Biting her arm to
muffle a scream, Cassie listens to the door rattle. Blood rushing in her ears, fighting
back tears, she wishes the person would go away.
Silence.
Heart fluttering a
staccato her eyes fly to the projection window. It’s too small to fit through,
she knows, but her throat closes tight at the scraping tap of nails on the window
frame. A velvety chuckle fills the darkness as footsteps drift towards the
stairs. Standing, cramped legs aching, Cassie steps back, starting to call the police.
Hitting into something hard and warm two vice like arms close around her. The
cell phone clatters to the floor. Body frozen in fear, mind screaming to
struggle, Cassie feels lips press against her ear.
“Let’s all go to
the lobby.”
