Number Six (Part I)

January ‘07

The forest was a clash of green versus white: pine trees, thick and lush, dominated the area, dwarfing the three people walking amongst them, while the snow held its’ own against the green, covering the ground and branches, a fresh eighteen inches on the forest floor from the previous night.

“Where are we going?” Rosemary asked, making sure to keep a tight grip on her brother’s arm.

“To a place I used to work,” Tom said, being equally as careful not to lose Rosemary’s hand.

“Dude, this might be the worst idea you’ve ever had,” Phil said.

“Shut up man.  We’re almost there,” Tom said.

Despite the best efforts of the snow and the trees the three travelers made their way into a clearing where a large dilapidated building stood.  Sections of the building were in rubble, others still stood strong, although probably not for long.

“Looks like a warehouse,” Phil said, adjusting his hat.

‘‘Nope,” Tom said.  “It’s the old cinema”

“You used to work here?” Phil said.  “This place looks like it hasn’t been in business for forty years”

“All right.  My dad worked here, not me.  He used to bring me here with him though.  They closed the place down after one of the projectors exploded.  They use xenon bulbs in the projectors – I guess xenon is a pretty volatile gas – and they were changing one out and it blew up.  Big fire, and I think the guy changing the bulb ended up dying.”  Tom paused, letting that sink in before continuing.  “I remember running upstairs in the halls past the projectors and watching movie after movie through the little windows.  That was before you were born Rosie”

“That’s okay,” Rosemary said, “it’s not like I would’ve gotten much out of being here anyway.  That’s, what do you call it, irony?”

“I don’t know what irony is,” Phil said, pronouncing it eye-urney, “but if it means that it’s like a sick joke then I guess you’re right”  Phil stopped walking and stared at the building.  “This place doesn’t look healthy”

“What does it look like?” Rosemary asked.

“It’s fine,” Tom said.  “Just like a big box”

“More like a trap,” Phil said.

“All right baby,” Tom said, “you can just stay out here and Rosemary and I will go in.  You’re not afraid are you Rosie?”

“How can I be afraid of something I can’t see?” Rosemary said.

“Easy,” Phil said.  “When something creeps you out and something inside you tells you not to go, you listen to your instinct and stay away.  Makes perfect sense to me”

“Over here,” Tom said, pointing.

Tom and Rosemary approached the front entrance, a set of double doors chained from the inside.  The entire pane of glass was cracked so fine it was impossible to make anything out through it.  Fragments of a movie poster drooped from a nearby wall.

“I stand corrected,” Phil said.  “This place looks like a coffin”

Tom walked up to the door and let go of Rosemary’s hand, shielding his eyes with his hands in order to try and look inside.

“What do you see?” Phil said.

“Not much,” Tom said.  “It’s pretty dark in there.  I think I can make out the old concession stand”

“Let me see,” Rosemary said.  She edged her way forward, hands out until she felt the glass.  She pressed her face up to the glass.  “Nope.  I can’t see anything either”

“Is that a joke?” Phil said.

Rosemary and Tom laughed.

“Of course it was you ass,” Tom said.  He tried the door, but the chain and the padlock held true.  “Come on, I know another way in”

Tom led the way around the side of the building to the back where they found a stairwell leading down to another set of dull brown double doors.

“Well,” Phil said, “it looks like it’s locked here too.  Best we head home now”  Phil turned to leave.

“Those are the words of a chicken,” Rosemary said.

“That’s me,” Phil said.  “Feathers and all”

“I can’t believe a big guy like you is afraid of a place like this,” Rosemary said.

“‘How do you know I’m big?” Phil said.

“She’s using her imagination,” Tom said, laughing.  “Now let’s get inside already.  It’s frickin’ cold out”

“You coming?” Laurie said, following Tom slowly down the stairs.

“Let me tell you why I’m against the whole idea,” Phil said, not moving either towards or away from the building.

“Later,” Tom said.  “Help me get this door open”  Tom pried his fingers in between the double doors.  “Stand back Rosie, in case this thing comes flying open”

Phil stood resolute at the top of the stairs.  “Dude, I have to tell you, I am bad luck when it comes to matters of the spiritual world”

Tom continued to work on the door.  His fingers had now found hold and he was pulling to the left-side door.  The door moved slightly, but still held.

“Don’t either of you want to know why I’m bad luck?” Phil said.

Tom yanked on the door several times with no additional ground gained.

“How are you going to open that if it’s chained on the inside?” Phil said.

“This…door’s…not…chained,” Tom said in between yanks.  “When this place closed down…my dad was in charge of…locking…the place up.  He left…this door…unchained”  Tom stopped working on the door, flexing his fingers.  “He told me he always wanted to come back and burn the place down for screwing him out of a job.  I guess he never got around to it”  Tom looked up at Phil, squinting in the glare.  “You want to give it a try?”

“No,” Phil said.

Rosemary and Tom exchanged a look, making eye-to-eye contact, a gesture that Phil found alarming and a little bit scary.  Phil shivered despite himself.  Unspoken words passed between them in the space of nanoseconds as the air seemed almost tangible.  Then they broke their contact and the air diffused.

“Okay,” Tom said, starting to work on the door again.

“See ya,” Rosemary said, which made Tom laugh.

After watching Tom work on the door for a couple of seconds, Phil said. “You don’t understand.  I really believe in this stuff and I don’t know what’s going to happen when we get inside”  Tom kept working, the door giving more ground now.  “I don’t think either of you believe, and that scares me too.  If you did believe, you wouldn’t want to do this either”

Tom almost had the door open enough to get his fingers through when Phil jumped down the stairwell and planted a hand on the door, slamming it back shut.

“What the hell!” Tom said.  “My fingers could’ve been in there jackass!”

“Listen to me!” Phil said, defending himself from Tom who was now trying to push him away.  “Will you listen?  Stop already!”  Tom stopped attacking, his fists still raised.  “I’m going to tell you what happened to me because I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you.  To either of you.  If you still want to go on after that, be my guest, but me?”  Phil paused.  “Like I said, I am afraid, but sometimes fear is a good thing.  Sometimes being afraid helps keep you safe”

“What are you afraid of?” Tom said, crossing his arms.

“I don’t know what you’d call it,” Phil said.  “The unknown I guess”

This was written for K Rock’s five word challenge.  The words were: movie theatre, bricks, flames, icy, rosemary.  Part II will continue as the challenge progresses.  Anyone else who is interested in participating, please let me know.