Liberty Theater

There were many stories about the Liberty Theater in the center of small town. Closed for decades, it remained standing, its ornate frontispiece a state landmark. The other stores and pubs on the street were streamlined and modern, and the theater seemed out of place and time. The lights if the building remained on, a nod to an old superstition about always keeping a light on in the theater so ghosts can conduct their own plays. Actors were one of the most superstitious groups. The only other groups as superstitious were mariners and athletes.

John, the security guard, made his daily rounds in and around the building. The end of October and Devil’s Night seemed to bring out more than usual vandalism and thefts. These types of places were perfect on Halloween for teens to congregate or friends to scare one another. Taking out his large ring of keys, he unlocked the front doors, and then locked it behind him. Maglite in hand, he checked the faded lobby and the restrooms, walked behind the concession counter with the empty till. Same as always, he thought, not a sign of life or malignant intentions in here.

He trudged up the worn-out carpet stairs into the hallway that led to the balcony. From the balcony he could see the rows of seats, the stage, the exits, but no intruders. Then he noticed a strange light on the stage, one that moved back and forth, not just the single battery-operated candle that meekly lit the stage. It looked more like the Northern Lights made a creepy appearance near the front of the old stage.

He quickly jogged downstairs and walked around to the back of the concession area. This brought him to the backstage of the theater. His flashlight didn’t uncover anything unusual. He quietly walked across the back of the stage behind the cyclorama curtains to the other side, where the lights and ropes were used during a plays and musicals. He saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just dust and darkness overwhelmed the place.

Not being superstitious, John walked directly to the center of the stage, just behind where he first saw the mysterious light. He could see the ghostly outline of a woman, dressed in an old nightgown, nervously walking back and forth. She held a light in her hand and kept mumbling to herself. She didn’t seem to notice that he was there. She spoke. “Yet here’s a spot.”

“Pardon?” John replied.

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One, two, why then ‘tis time to do ‘t.” Her eyes gazed at no one.

John approached her carefully. “Um, time to do what?”

Her voice was urgent. “Hell is murky! Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard.”

“I’m just a security guard, not a soldier. You’re not supposed to be here.”

She kept walking in circles, pointing at things that weren’t there. “What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.”

“Ma’am, what old man? Is someone injured in here? What happened? Has there been an accident?” He was now genuinely concerned.

“The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?”

“I have no idea, ma’am. It’s Halloween. Maybe she took her kids trick-or-treating.” John looked around. “There’s no one else here.”

“What, will these hands ne’er be clean? No more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that. You mar all with this starting.”

John offered a small bottle. “Here’s some sanitizer if you need some.”

“Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand,” and then she sighed.

“M’am, there’s no blood. Maybe COVID has affected your sense of smell. You really need to come with me, and I’ll take you to place to get help.”

“Wash your hands. Put on your nightgown. Look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Banquo’s buried; he cannot come out on ‘s grave.”

“Who is Banquo? What grave? Has a murder been committed?”

“To bed, to bed. There’s knocking at the gate. Come, come.”

John was about to radio in for help, but she stopped, turned, and faced him. She looked at her hands as if they were covered in blood. Staring in fear, she said to him, “Give me your hand. What’s done cannot be undone.” Mesmerized, he took her hand and disappeared with her into the wisp of light.