09/25/2024
Prompt: Write a story where something unexplainable happens.
—
The roads were deserted as Cass and Dean rode through their small sleeping town, taking the long way home after a late-night movie. It was a pastime of theirs, seeing horror films and joyriding together in Dean’s old Impala, windows down and radio down low as they cruised through their neighborhood.
Interlacing his fingers with hers, Dean smiled and raised their hands to his lips, giving the back of hers a light kiss. Cass returned his warm gaze just as Dean’s eyes flitted past her. He nodded at the old abandoned movie theater as they idled by.
“Bet that place is crawling with ghosts,” he said, raising his eyebrows at Cass.
“Oh yeah, no doubt about it,” Cass replied with a laugh. “Every poor chump that tries to fix it up doesn’t last a month. Cursed ground as far as I’m concerned.”
Dean pulled up to the curb outside. The abandoned building was eerie in the moonlight, with its hazy windows and boarded up ticket booth out front. An old movie poster, faded by constant sun, curled at the edges inside its scratched and dingy plexiglass enclosure, the rest of the frames empty like endless dark halls.
Cass took it all in for a moment before turning to Dean. She gave him a curious look, trying to express her interest while simultaneously worrying that he forgot how late it was.
“This is great and all,” she said, “but I’ve got curfew, remember? Dad’s gonna kill me if I’m late again.”
“Don’t worry, we won’t stay long. I just had an idea.”
“What is it?” A small smile was already creeping to her lips as she said the words.
“I think you’re thinking what I’m thinking,” Dean said with a grin. “And if you are thinking what I’m thinking, then we know what we’re doing for Halloween this year.”
“A spooky double feature at the creepy abandoned movie theater?” Cass asked.
“You got it,” Dean said with a nod. “We can pack some snacks and I can bring my projector. It’ll be great. Just you and me.”
“Sounds pretty legit,” Cass said with a nod of her own. “But if you don’t get me home in the next three minutes, you’re not going to be taking me anywhere for the next half-century.”
With a wink, Dean put the car in drive and pressed his foot on the gas, just enough to rev the engine. Cass laughed and they settled into silence, Dean’s hand still interlaced with hers while she surfed the wind with her free hand out the passenger window, her blonde hair blowing in the gentle breeze. A few minutes later, they arrived at her house two blocks away, where her stern father would no doubt be waiting to make sure his daughter made it home safe and sound, right on time and not a moment after.
Cass leaned in to give Dean a quick kiss as he braked at the curb. When she reached for the passenger-door handle, Dean reached toward her and pulled her face to his. He could feel her smile against his lips before she let out a small laugh and reached up to touch his face. When they broke apart, her eyes were shining.
“Call you tomorrow?” she said as she opened the door and jumped out of the car. She gently closed it and leaned into the open window, resting her chin on her crossed forearms and giving him a wink.
“You better,” he said as he winked back.
Dean watched as she ran across the grassy lawn, bounded up the steps, and slipped through the door. After the porch light flickered off, he sat in the darkness and the silence, his eyes glowing with an uncharacteristic intensity. He smiled to himself, biting back a sinister laugh at the back of his throat.
“Soon,” he whispered, giving the house a final glance before he drove into the night.
—
A week later, Dean and Cass returned to the movie theater. It was half past eleven, and the late-night chill made Cass shiver in her hoodie as they stood on the sidewalk. Arms crossed and head tilted upward, Cass stared at the faded marquee, where the crooked and remaining letters left behind clues to what the sign used to say.
“Man,” Cass said with mock disappointment, “I’m sad we missed ‘ight o’ th’ Liv’g De’d.”
“Shoot,” Dean said with a sigh. “We also missed Fri’ th’ 3th.”
“Bummer.” They both smiled at each other and focused their gaze on the theater.
“I mean, I love creepy places as much as you,” Cass said, “but this is next-level creepy.” She wiggled her fingers as she ooh-ed like a ghost.
Dean nudged her arm and laughed, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder.
“Oh, come on, it can’t be worse than the old Thomson house on Main Street.”
“You’re right,” Cass agreed with another shiver that was unrelated to the cold. “But still. I’ve got a weirder feeling than usual.”
“That’s because the veil between our world and the spirit world is thinnest on Halloween.” He wiggled his eyebrows, his mouth in the shape of an O. “Maybe we won’t be the only ones at the movies tonight.”
Cass took a deep breath and nodded.
“Right. Then bring it on, old movie theater.” She grabbed Dean’s hand and fearlessly pulled him toward the entrance.
The double doors groaned on their neglected hinges as they pushed them open. Wind gently whistled through the empty panes where glass used to be, and the grinding sound of splintered shards echoed underfoot, announcing their entry as they stepped inside. Dust swirled in the soft-cream glow of their flashlight beams, and the shattered glass gave way to soft carpet as they slowly made their way forward. The old broadloom fibers were a dull salmon color, faded by time and debris. The concession stand, though long neglected and abandoned, still had a few boxes of decades-old Reese's Pieces inside, covered in dirt and cobwebs to the point where the words were barely legible on the labels.
Cass let out a sigh as she gestured to the fossilized candy behind the filthy glass.
“My favorite.”
“Too bad they’re a million years old,” Dean said with a frown. “And good thing we brought ten pounds of candy in the backpack.” He gestured to the bag with a jerk of his thumb. Cass laughed at his playful grin. “Well, I need to get everything set up in the projector room. You wanna go find our seats? Better hurry before people start to show up. I heard it was a sold-out show tonight.” He winked as he turned on his heel and made for the upper level.
“Sounds great,” Cass called after him, smiling and watching as Dean headed up a flight of creaky stairs to the right as she made for the theater on the left. The interior wooden doors, adorned with ornate swirling etchings, opened to a large auditorium, with rows of chairs farther than she could see in the beam of her flashlight. She ran her hand along the aisle seats as she made her way to the front, noticing that they were the same faded red the carpeting was on the floor beneath her as she walked soundlessly on.
In the practically non-existent light from a moon shrouded in dark wispy clouds, she could make out a large hole in the rafters. Wind disrupted the old theater’s bones, making them creak and moan eerily in the cool breeze that drifted in. Small beady orbs of light reflected off the wooden beams in the ceiling, and she could make out the subtle sounds of screeching and scratching.
Bats, she thought as she dropped her backpack into an aisle seat and sank down into a rickety velvet chair with a sigh. She tried to ignore the thought of rats scurrying around her feet as she tucked her flashlight between her cheek and shoulder and rummaged for movie snacks. As she opened a box of her favorite candy, she heard another creak in the rafters above her, louder than before. A small cloud of upset dust sprinkled down around her as she squinted to make out the cause of the disturbance in the darkness. She was startled by the sudden light from Dean’s projector as it came to life. With a small laugh, Cass glanced up at the rafters again, but she didn’t see anything there. With a shrug she leaned back, putting her feet up on the seat in front of her.
A few minutes later, she could hear Dean coming down the stairs. As the previews began to play, Cass glanced over her shoulder, sure that he should have been there by now. She was about to call out when Dean sprang out from behind her chair. Cass yelped and threw the contents of her candy box into the air as Dean fell laughing into the seat next to her. She turned and slapped his arm.
“What the hell Dean?” she exclaimed with a laugh, despite herself. She looked down, where a variety of yellow, brown, and orange circles were strewn on the dusty floor. She threw up her hands. “Well, there goes the rest of my candy.” She narrowed her eyes at him as she said, “I hope you’re happy.” She reached into her bag and retrieved a new box, including a bag of popcorn for Dean. He rubbed his hands together.
“I, for one, am stoked,” Dean said as he opened the small crinkly bag with a grin. “Especially about this popcorn.”
“You better be glad I had an extra box,” Cass said with a shake of her head. “So what are we watching first?”
“For our first creepy abandoned movie theater spooky Halloween double feature . . .”
“You really need an acronym or something,” Cass interrupted matter-of-factly as Dean caught his breath.
“I know right? . . . anyway, I picked Hereditary.”
“Perfect.” Cass offered Dean a piece of her candy. He eagerly took one, tossing it into the air and catching it in his mouth. “I hope you like bats and rats,” she added as she gestured up to the rafters and down to the floor. “I heard crawly critters while I was waiting for you. It seems we aren’t alone.” She let out a ghostly ooh as she pretended to be scared. “For a minute I thought you found some way to climb up to the roof so you could try to scare me.”
“Why do you say that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow with a goofy grin. “You think I’d be dumb enough to climb up there?”
“No,” she said with a smirk, elbowing him in the ribs. “Just joking. It must have been a bat.”
Dean shrugged and grabbed another handful of popcorn as the screen went dark.
“Oh,” he whispered, “it’s starting.”
When the credits rolled on the first film, they both broke into exaggerated applause, hooting and hollering in the vacant theater. When the screen went black, Dean turned on his flashlight, holding it under his chin and smiling a sinister smile.
“Ready for Midsommar?”
Cass flicked on her flashlight.
“Born ready,” she said, mirroring his expression.
Dean rose from his chair and slowly started to back away.
“Then I’ll be right back,” he said, voice lilting ominously as he disappeared around the corner. Cass laughed as she watched him go. He returned shortly after, announcing his presence this time.
“Here we go,” he said as he settled back in and put his arm around her. “Don’t worry, my little May Queen. I’ve got you.” He leaned in for a kiss, and as Cass pulled away he tickled her.
“Dean, stop!” she shouted, belting out a laugh as she pushed him away and caught her breath. “You’re going to make me spill my candy again. Also, it’s Miss May Queen to you, thank you very much.” She laid her head against his and turned her face up to the screen.
They made it halfway through the film before everything went dark.
“What the hell?” Dean mumbled in the blackness. He fumbled with his flashlight, clicking the switch on and off a few times before he let out a sigh.
“Lights out,” he muttered. “What about yours?”
Cass reached underneath her seat and pulled her flashlight out. She flipped the switch.
“Nope,” she replied. “That’s weird.” She pulled out her phone. “Aaaand my phone is dead.”
“You’ve gotta remember to charge that thing,” he jabbed as he fumbled for his phone. He sighed again as Cass cleared her throat.
“You were saying?” she teased.
“Okay, I know my phone was charged,” he said, voice tinged with uncertainty in the darkness. “Something’s up. But to find out what, we’ve gotta replace our flashlights. I’ve got a spare in the car. You coming with?”
Cass considered it a moment, waving her hand in front of her eyes and seeing nothing. The idea of being blind in such a vacant and silent place was enough to convince her.
“Yeah, I’m coming,” she said, gathering her belongings the best she could in the dark. She could feel Dean’s hand clutching her shoulder as she rose.
“After you,” he said as he guided her forward. Using the theater seats to guide them, they stumbled toward the exit. As Cass reached the threshold and saw the front doors come into view, she felt Dean’s grip on her shoulder loosen.
“What . . . ?” was all he had time to say before he let out a bloodcurdling scream. It sounded as if he was being dragged back into the darkness, his voice echoing and fading before everything went completely quiet.
Cass was frozen where she stood, trembling as she tried to will herself to turn around. She stared forward, wide-eyed as she broke the silence with her wavering voice.
“Dean?” she whispered, her shaking hands clutched into fists at her sides. When there was no answer, she slowly turned around.
“Dean?” she said, a little louder. She craned her neck to see if she could make anything out in the darkness before her.
His distant and unnerving voice made her jump.
“Here, my love.”
The words seemingly echoed down the aisle, from the front of the auditorium they were just in. A shiver ran down Cass’s spine as she took a step forward. Her confusion gave way to anger as fear overtook her.
“If this is some sort of sick joke, it’s not funny Dean,” she yelled, walking in the direction of his voice. “Now quit fooling around and let’s get out of here.” Chest heaving, she waited for a reply. Squinting in the darkness, she made out two distant orbs of light. They were blinking, and they were the color of blood.
“But we’ve only just begun,” the familiar yet chilling voice whispered. As he said the words, the movie screen behind him began to glow crimson, and his silhouetted figure came into view. His arms were outstretched and he was suspended in the air, beckoning to Cass in the darkness with his deep red eyes. She gasped in horror, tears spilling down her face as she took a step back.
“Dean?” she whispered.
A gutteral laugh rang out in the dark, something low and hungry.
“Dean is but a vessel that I require,” the voice hissed. “I am his servant.” Its deep growling voice reverberated off the walls, sending a rush of adrenaline through Cass’s limbs.
“His . . . servant?” Cass stammered, lips trembling.
“Yes . . . the Lord of the Night . . . he has summoned you here . . . ”
“Summoned . . . me?” Cass mumbled, stumbling backward as she bit back a sob. “What do you want with me?”
“I want you to join me,” the unknown voice wearing Dean’s face replied, lips curling into a sinister smile. “He wants you to join us.”
“Us? Wait . . . Dean? . . . No, no, no . . .” she said, shaking her head as she backed away quickly. “If you can hear me, Dean, please . . . stop this. Come back to me.”
“Dean is gone,” the voice said, its glowing mouth curling into a bloody grin. “He belongs to the Lord of the Night now.”
Cass’s heel caught on the leg of an aisle chair and fell to the floor. She frantically kicked her feet as she crawled backwards on her elbows, eyes locked on what was no longer Dean. As she gasped for air, the floating figure let out a demonic laugh.
“You need not run,” it said, arms still extended. “He welcomes you with open arms . . .”
A strong wind tore through the room as the faint glow of the screen and the demon’s eyes grew brighter. Cass shut her eyes and shielded her face with her hands, her screams drowned out as the wind screamed with infinite chanting voices. Crawling on her hands and knees, Cass reached the threshold of the theater. The wooden double doors slammed shut just as she stood and threw herself against them. She screamed and kicked, pounding on the door with all her strength.
“Let me out!” she cried, her sobs drowned out by the wind. The monster began shouting in a language unfamiliar to her, in a voice that overpowered the violent gale that now enveloped its glowing form.
“Ilmiroth, Dominus Noctis . . . audi me,” the demon’s voice boomed, the red gleam around it brightening with a sudden flash as it continued to chant.
“Hear me, Lord, suscipe munus meum, oh unum in tenebris. Accept my offering, oh Great One Enshrouded in Darkness.”
Its eyes settled on Cass. She leaned into the doors, trying desperately to escape the nightmare before her. She shook her head frantically as she trembled.
“You will make a fine offering, indeed,” the voice whispered. “Together we will bring him back . . . The Lord of the Night will walk among us again.”
Suddenly the red glow faded to black. Cass sat in the silent darkness, gasping for breath as the wind abruptly ceased. As she tried to stand, she felt a cold hand grasp her ankle. She let out a bloodcurdling scream that was all too familiar as it pulled her into the unlit void.
Out of the blackness, another set of gleaming red eyes emerged, and a sinister voice that was no longer her own echoed through the theater.
“. . . Ilmiroth . . . Lord of the Night . . . I sacrifice my willing soul. . .”
“Oh Ilmiroth, devotus sum vobis . . . I devote myself to you.”
THE END