The Cinema

"OMG! I'm so excited for the movie tonight," squealed Sophia happily as she flung her arms around Ivan.

Sophia was just a typical teenager whose beauty was admired by many. She'd been dating Ivan for three years and got engaged to him a month ago. Her mahogany hair flowed in waves to adorn her glowing porcelain-like skin and her eyes were like that of the blue sea, so calm and emotionless. She was indeed the picture of perfection.

"I'm so happy you're excited. That's the least I can do for my woman," said Ivan as he nuzzled her neck and placed a light kiss on her ear, sending butterflies in her stomach. She smelt heavenly like fresh-scented honey.

She giggled and pressed her body against his warm chest, well-defined with perfection. He was just so perfect. He smiled and kissed her lips warmly before grabbing his wallet and putting it into his jean pocket.

"Come on. We gotta be there on time before the seats gets filled up." he wore his shirt back on and grabbed his car keys from the kitchen counter, then smiled romantically at her before walking out the door.

Sophia took her time to modify herself before walking out after him. She was gonna have the best night of her life, she thought.

The cinema hall was a little world of itself. People rushed at the ticket center which covered the window out of sight. Some struggled to purchase tickets even before those that were first in line. There were a few that waited for more to join them on the show after purchasing their tickets. An old woman that could barely walk was seen pushing aside a teenager just to get her ticket. A few mischief mongers could also be seen. They sat idly staring lustfully at the ass of girls that passed by. Children could be seen running around and college students laughed at their own jokes. They seemed so eager to see the movie.

"Do you think we'll make it past the queue?" asked Sophia sadly.

"Of course, love. Or do you suggest we go back home?"

"No. I really wanna see this movie," she pouted.

She was so anxious to see this much talked about movie. Her craze grew all the more intense when she saw the poster outside the cinema hall. Stranger things. Her classmates talked so much about the movie in school. Known as one of the best Horror movies in town. Grabbing her fiance by the hand, they ran to the ticket center to purchase their own ticket.

After successfully purchasing their tickets, they bought a bowl of popcorn and walked into the cinema. They chose their seat in the middle row and sat down happily as Ivan wrapped his arm around her shoulders. The aroma of fresh popcorn and hot dog wafted through the room. She felt the patent excitement as the lights dimmed and the images began to roll on the large LED screen. She looked around to see so many people already seated comfortably, all munching on different snacks. They seemed to shut down all connections to the outside world.

A woman sitting beside her sneezed into her hand and rubbed it as if to rub off the cold. A couple seated in front of them clutched their son like a prized possession. The cinema reminded her of the one she went to in London with her father as a little girl. As she adjusted on the seat, she felt a sticky substance on her fingers from under the seat and retrieved her hand instantly only to see a pink already eaten bubblegum.

"Ewww," she said in disgust as she tried unsuccessfully to remove the bubblegum that now smeared her hand.

"You okay?" asked Ivan.

"Yeah. Just some lunatic that can't seem to know where the wastebin is," she said and showed him her hand.

He muffled a laugh, "Sorry. Here, let me remove that."

He kissed her lightly on the temple and wrapped his arm back around her shoulders before fixing his gaze to the large screen.

The scene opens with Barbara waking up from the upside down world as she called out for her best friend, Nancy. Then she sees a monster with no face, a creature from the upside down.

The movie went on, making some people scream their lungs out and clutch to each other. When the next scene showed the faceless monster coming out of the wall, the screen went blank, leaving the room pitch black.

Sophia became incredibly scared, but what really gave her the chills was that the room suddenly became deadly silent like a graveyard. She clutched herself so tight that if care wasn't taken would rip herself in half.

"Ivan?" she called out in a whisper.

"Yes?" He whispered back.

She let out a deep breath happy that her fiance was still with her.

"Why is everywhere quiet? No one is talking."

"I have no idea, Sophia. I'm as confused as you are."

"I'm scared," she whimpered.

He sighed and held her firmly to himself, caressing her back. All of a sudden, a light illuminated the room and began to flicker on and off as a loud drill echoed from the screen, making them jump in fear. The light finally went off as white static filled the screen, drowning out the darkness in the room with a crepuscular glow. The screen went blank again and began to blink, revealing an image of a monster with four protruding eyes. The image flashed repeatedly, zooming closer and closer as a loud shrill pierced into their eardrums.

Falling to the floor in panic, they scrunched their faces as they held both hands to their ears with a scream. The shrill echoed over and over again that they thought their skull was gonna split.

"What is happening?!" screamed Sophia.

"Shit! Make it stop! Can somebody make it stop!" Ivan screamed over the monotonous sound.

As if to obey, the shrill stopped and they felt incredibly weak as their head throbbed violently. They stared at the scary image on the screen as the monster turned to face them in a robot-like motion and grinned maliciously, making them yelp, then it suddenly disappeared showing a white screen. Ivan plopped down onto the red seat in exasperation and rubbed his hand over his face as he inhaled deeply. Sophia slowly sat down beside him, frantically looking around for any sign of a stranger.

"What the hell was that?" Ivan held his chest shakily.

"We need to leave this place, Ivan. I can't stay here anymore," Sophia sobbed.

"No, Sophia. We have to find out what the heck is happening. We have to know where everyone suddenly went to. Don't you think it's strange?" Ivan stood up and ran his fingers through his hair, making his way through the rows of seats.

Sophia shook her head and followed behind him. "Ivan, I don't think that's a good idea. This is more than what meets the eye. What if something bad happens. We need to leave or rather inform the cops."

They were still arguing when a loud thud echoed through the room, getting a gasp from Sophia.

The white screen began to blink and suddenly changed to an image of a cinema—the cinema room to be precise. They could see themselves in the screen as if it was being filmed from in front of them.

"Oh my God," Sophia gasped as she clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Fuck! Who's here?" asked Ivan, panting as he darted his eyes around the room. "If this is a prank you better stop it this minute."

"Let's go, Ivan. Please." Sophia cried, tugging on his shirt.

"I'm not leaving here until I find out who's doing this." said Ivan adamantly, "And I'm not gonna let the person go scut free."

Ivan swallowed hard as he desperately searched his jean pocket for his phone, his heart throbbing violently against his chest. He flicked on his phone torch light and scanned the room, moving slowly to the front row.

"Please, stop. Let's just go." Sophia kept on crying.

He stopped in his track when he noticed a dark image in the screen, just behind them and turned sharply but it was gone.

"Show yourself now. I promise I'll take it lightly with you," he shouted.

"Please, Ivan. Just stop. I'm-I'm leaving."

She bolted towards the door and turned the metal door knob but it wouldn't budge. She pulled and pulled all to no avail. Fear immediately engulfed her as she trembled and called out to Ivan to get his attention, but he seemed so busy searching around the room that he didn't notice the dark figure standing at the corner of the LED screen.

Sophia noticed the figure, something she could describe as a hideous monstrosity and let out a loud shriek, making Ivan turn to know why she screamed. She pointed feverishly at the figure as she plopped down on the floor in fear. Ivan turned to the direction she pointed at, only to see a monster standing right in front of him. That same monster they had seen in the screen.

The monster was half-human and half-animal like an ape, but instead of furs, it had blue-green scales, an elongated head, sickle-like claws and protruding mouth filled with dozens of razor-sharp teeth. Amber saliva drooled at the corner of its lips as it gnarled furiously.

Before Ivan could react, two more arms with thick spikes which was completely caked in blood grew from its stomach and sliced off his arms as he let out a blood curdling scream. Ivan looked down at his empty arms that were now gushing out blood vigorously in tears and fell down to the floor as he began to crawl—away from the monster.

The monster didn't give its prey the chance to escape as it clawed at Ivan's back, making a sickening crack and slicing him in half.

Sophia, witnessing the whole scene, gave a small sob and frantically got out her phone as she dialed 911.

"Hello, 911, what is your emergency?"

"Hi! Oh God, plea-please i-i-need your help. There's a monster here a-at t-t-the cin-nema. Please...help me!" Sophia gabbled as she pressed the phone against her ear.

"Calm down, ma'am. Can you tell me the address?"

"Gothic theater." she sobbed.

"And your name?"

"Sophia Williams," she trembled.

"Are you sure of what you're saying ma'am. You know I don't believe in monsters. You know what will happen if your complaint is false?"

"Shut your fucking mouth and get here right now!" she shouted angrily in frustration.

"Relax ma'am. Just hide or some–" the operator was cut short followed by a loud scream.

Sophia's phone dropped to the ground with a thud as the monster yanked her by the hair. She yelped and began to struggle but it was of no use. Its grip was hard and firm and there was no where to run. With its sickle-like claws, it yanked out her eyes, making her scream so loud before it began twisting at her hair. It twisted her hair until her head began to twist out of her neck. Her head bounced to the floor with a sickening plop. As if that was not enough, it squashed her head with its gigantic ape-like feet and ripped out her intestines.

In another room in that same cinema, the screen displayed the whole scene as people began to shout in fear. But what they didn't know was that it was all a reality.

THE END