Love, Basketball and Demons

Chapter 9: Witnesses

The Cineplex lobby buzzed with anticipation, the sound of laughter and excited chatter filling the air. Ahmed's eyes sparkled as they scanned the brightly lit screens displaying all the movies playing. The scent of buttery popcorn wafted through the room, making his stomach growl in anticipation. Boon, however, looked less than enthused. He stared at the movie listings with a furrowed brow, his dark green eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Come on, man! We've got to see the new Spiderman Across the Sider-verse before it's out of theaters," Ahmed insisted, his voice filled with excitement.

"Spiderman again? Seriously? Aren't there like 20 of those now?" Boon scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fast X is supposed to be amazing. I heard there's a car chase scene that'll blow your mind."

"Boon, you know I'm a huge Spiderman fan. Besides, we can watch Fast X next week my treat," Ahmed reasoned, he knew Boon would give in eventually, despite his whole tough guy routine.

"Alright, alright," Boon relented when they reached the front of the queue, realizing that his friend's excitement wasn't going to wane anytime soon. He sighed and purchased two tickets for the Spiderman movie, handing one to Ahmed with a forced smile. "But you're buying the snacks."

"Deal!" Ahmed agreed, his face lighting up with gratitude.

Together, they took the escalator up towards the theaters, Ahmed's steps light with excitement, while Boon couldn't help but sulk just a little. At the top of the escalator was the concession stand, its array of sweet and salty treats beckoning them.

"Go find our seats," Ahmed suggested, his eyes already scanning the snack selection. "I'll grab us some popcorn and drinks."

"Fine," Boon muttered, still feeling somewhat miffed about their movie choice, he would rather be watching a bank vault being dragged through the streets by a truck any day. "But I don't see why you insist on us coming a half hour early to every movie."

Ahmed flashed him a knowing grin. "You know I love the preshow trivia, and getting the best seats doesn't hurt either."

Boon shook his head, unable to suppress a small smile at his friend's enthusiasm. He knew deep down that the quality of the movie didn't matter as much as spending time together, but he couldn't let Ahmed know that.

"Ok, I'll go find us some seats," Boon conceded, his voice softening. "Just make sure you get extra butter on my popcorn." Ahmed gave him a nod, and he headed down the hall toward the theater.

Boon stepped into the dimly lit theater, his eyes adjusting to the darkness as he scanned the rows for their seats. The space was eerily empty, save for one lone figure sitting in the back corner. He squinted, wondering if it could be someone they knew, but as he drew closer, he became frozen in place. The woman's head lolled to one side, her clouded lifeless eyes staring blankly ahead.

"Wh-what the..." Boon stammered, taking an involuntary step back. As his foot caught a discarded soda cup, he lost his balance and fell backward, landing hard on the aisle floor. Pain shot through his tailbone, but before he could even let out a groan, a monstrous figure emerged from behind the seats.

Gluttony towered above him, its grotesque form pinning him to the ground with ease, its claws digging into his sides. Boon struggled and screamed, feeling the overwhelming weight of the creature bearing down on him. His fear intensified as Gluttony seemed to study him, its grotesque features twisted in curiosity.

"Please...don't," Boon choked out, his voice barely audible. But Gluttony didn't respond to his plea. Instead, it tilted its head, as though sensing something within him it found intriguing. Slowly, the pressure lessened, and Boon dared to hope that the creature would release him.