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Horror Mystery

Content Warning: Mild Sexual Situation.

Adam Baker and his fiancé, Jennifer Fox, were at a theater watching a scary movie called 'Midnight Terror.' It was the first screenplay Adam had written and he was anxious to see his name in the credits. The movie had several jump scares and sudden noises that startled Jennifer. During suspenseful scenes, she leaned into her fiancé, closed her eyes, and squeezed him tight.

Near the end of the movie, Jennifer excused herself to use the ladies' room. When she returned and sat down, Adam said, "That was quick. Good timing though, the movie credits have just started. Did you like the movie," he grinned, "or was it too scary?"

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Adam leaned back and took a sip of his cola. He looked at her and asked, "What was your favorite part?" She paused for a moment, something else clearly on her mind. 

With a wide smile, Adam continued. "My favorite part was when Johnny walked down the hallway looking for the staircase and ran into that succubus. He was already scared, but when he turned around and saw that withered old hag, it looked like he was about to jump out of his skin. Then, he screamed like a girl and fell to the floor. I thought that part was both funny and scary. He's a good actor." Adam looked at Jennifer and grinned.

Jennifer slipped her hand into his lap and began rubbing his thigh. When her hand found its way between his legs, Adam felt heat in his groin. His eyes lit up and he moaned. Jennifer leaned in and kissed him passionately. Adam growled softly and fondled her breasts. He pulled away and shook his head. "That was so hot, Jen. Wait till we get home. I'm gonna rip your clothes off." 

She smiled and kept rubbing his private area. "Look, my name will be coming up. As soon as it does, we're out of here." He focused on the screen, determined not to let his lust control him for now. "You sure are frisky tonight, but we can't do anything here." Jennifer's touch felt more erotic than usual, and when she kissed his neck, her hot breath on his skin seemed more than he could take. "Okay, you win. Let's go."

At that moment, another woman rushed down the aisle and plopped down next to him. She said, "You wouldn't believe that line in the ladies' room. I thought I'd be there all night." 

He tipped his head and stared at her. Oh my God, that's Jennifer right there. Then, who the hell is that sitting on my left? Who was I kissing just now? He turned his head and looked at the other woman. She looks so much like Jennifer. The woman smiled and winked at him. 

Adam had been through some weird encounters, but this was a first. The woman leaned in to kiss him again. He pushed himself away from her before her lips touched his. "Just who are you, lady?" 

Jennifer glanced at where he was looking, then focused on her fiancé. Adam was chilled; he thought he was in for it. He looked into Jennifer's eyes expecting her wrath. "Who are you talking to, Adam?" 

His jaw dropped open. He turned to the woman who was still rubbing her hand on his bulge. She is beautiful. She looks exactly like Jennifer. I wonder if we can make this a threesome? No way! Jen would never go for that. 

"Well? What are you looking at, Adam?" 

The woman opened her mouth a little and wiggled her tongue. The movie screen had blacked out. The lights had come on. 

Adam was confused. Her eyes are incredible, and her touch, wow! 

Looking back at Jennifer, he shrugged his shoulders. "It's not what it looks like, Jen. I was just sitting here watching the movie credits when she plopped down next to me. I thought…" 

"When who plopped down?" 

He motioned with his thumb and turned his head. A guttural scream came out of him just then. His body chilled; it felt like ice was running down his spine. The hair on his arms was standing up. He gazed into the woman's eyes, but it wasn't her anymore. It was a very old gray-haired woman with rotting teeth. Her wrinkled skin was old, and she smelled like Ben Gay.

Adam was dumbfounded. Now she looks like the actress who played the old hag in the movie. His body started trembling violently. He tried to speak but only grunted. It can't be her. 

"What's your problem, Adam?" Jennifer chuckled. "What are you screaming about?" 

The hag leaned into him and licked his face. Adam grimaced and pulled away. She leaned further into him, moved her tongue across his face, and licked his lips. 

He was repulsed and overcome with a feeling of nausea. 

Adam pushed her back and jumped to his feet. He noticed her white dress was stained with blood. His fiancé leaned forward to see what he was looking at. No one was there. 

"Adam, what the hell?" Jennifer looked into his eyes and grinned. "Oh! I get it now." She nodded her head and smiled. "You're trying to freak me out. You had me going. Come on. Let's get out of here." 

Looking at where the hag was seated, he saw she was gone. She had vanished. 

Scanning the empty theater, he shook his head. Jennifer reached for his hand and stood up. "Adam, your whole body is shaking. Your hands are freezing." She kissed him. "Your face is cold too." She pressed her palm against his forehead. "Hmph! No fever. What is wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost." 

Adam shook his head. "You wouldn't believe it, but I think I did see a ghost. A scary ghost, a succubus. She looked like the old hag in the movie. She sat right next to me." Still frightened, Adam took Jennifer's hand. 

Just then, a teenage boy entered the theater to sweep the aisles. He dropped the dustpan and it bounced. The noise echoed in the empty room. Adam's body jerked, and he grunted. The boy said, "Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to startle you. When the movie is over I have to sweep the floor before the next one starts."

Jennifer said, "It's okay. We were just leaving." 

The boy looked at Adam and said, "You're very pale, sir. You look like you saw Blood-Red Mary." 

Adam said, "Who?" 

"You never heard of her? Supposedly, Blood-Red Mary is the ghost of a woman who was stabbed to death by her boyfriend. Right in this very theater. In fact, she was sitting right there where you are. Several people have seen her and said the same thing. She turned from a beautiful woman into an evil old lady. Did you see her?" 

Jennifer led the way as they walked down the aisle. She looked at Adam and said, "We're leaving." She looked at the boy and said, "Don't you know there's no such thing as ghosts?" 

Adam shook his head and looked at the boy. With terror still written in his eyes, and his body still trembling, he said, "I did see her." 


****End****


May 23, 2022 23:12

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2 comments

Scott Tibbs
23:27 Jun 01, 2022

Thank you Seán Mc Nicholl, for reading Midnight Terror, and leaving a comment. I'm glad you liked it. True, theater seats are padded, but the floors of some older theaters are a hard surface, naturally he dropped the dustpan on the cement floor. On your second point, you're right, it's a short story, (flash-fiction). I'd thought about that when writing this story, and decided so many kids today are excitable and some are 'know-it-alls' that usually speak before they think. I've raised a few. LOL. Just kidding, my kids & grandkids are Angel...

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Seán McNicholl
21:38 Jun 01, 2022

So Reedsy asked me to critique this submissions as part of their Critique Circle… and I’m so glad they did! I LOVE ghost stories and I really enjoyed this! Especially having worked as a projectionist in a supposedly haunted cinema! I think it’s very well written and keeps the reader engaged. A great twist with the succubus looking like Jennifer, enjoyed that. Two very small, minor critiques. Firstly - with cinema theatres having padded seats etc the dustpan is unlikely to have made an echo (as it said, it’s a very minor critique) The sec...

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