Little Kid's Horror Stories

An Afternoon at the Show

Chapter 1

It had finally arrived. After weeks of advertising and a series of enticing trailers, the new, blockbuster summer films had arrived at the Deluxe Cinema. All over the neighbourhood kids were whinging and whining to be allowed to attend the opening matinee, careless of making the most unlikely promises for this one - please, just this one - acquiescence. Some succeeded... some did not.

The films in question were indeed questionable to some parents, the Family code rating not withstanding; a pair of science fiction thrillers with all the attendant monsters and scares that most children craved in cinematic entertainment. With consideration given to Heddy and Penny's recent good behaviour, their parents surrendered to their pleas, allowing that an afternoon with their peers and friends, even if it meant squirming in a darkened theatre scared to death, would be fine with them.

A sudden circumstance that nearly changed the girl's minds, was a request from their aunt and uncle to chaperone their two young cousins, Justin and Dillard, the adults seeking a rare afternoon of relief.

"Aw mom, do we hafto?"

"Let's just say it would be a very nice thing to do. The boys don't get to go to many things with just other kids." Mom said, leaving the implied caveat hanging.

"Rats."

"C'mon Heddy, it won't be that bad." Penny gave her mother a knowing shrug.

"That's the spirit," Dad said, grabbing the car keys from the hook over the sink, "let's go we'll meet them at the show.

The line stretched half way down the block and immediately the girls began wailing as their father pulled his van up in front of the theatre.

"We'll never get a good seat now," Heddy complained.

"Then you'll have to sit in a bad seat if you still want to go."

"There's Uncle Ted," Penny pointed excitedly. "He's already in line with Justin and Dillard."

"Yea!" Heddy shouted, jumping out of the van and galloping across the sidewalk, followed by Penny and her dad.

"Hi there!" Uncle Ted gave the girl's father a relieved look. "I thought I was going to have to actually go inside with these animals." The two fathers chuckled, looking at the wriggling line of excited children.

"Looks like you might have been the only parent; that would have been fun."

"Gawd, don't even think that, please." A bustle of hurried goodbyes and wasted admonitions saw the fathers depart, leaving the theatre management to the mercy of the kids.

"Look Penny, I brought my Monstro model!" Dillard held up the eight-inch plastic toy that resembled a muscular, ugly alien. "It shoots little plastic bullets!"

"You can't shoot those in the show, Dill." Penny cautioned him.

"I know," he said, "dad already warned me." He bent one of the model's arms up and aimed it at the theatre poster, making explosive shooting sounds.

Justin held up a similar toy for her inspection. "Mine's called Torg."

"Let's see." Heddy pulled it from his hand.

"Hey!" Justin grabbed it back and clutched it to his little chest.

"I was just going to look at it." She said, trading him belligerent stares.

A sudden roar went up from the line as the curtain opened in the ticket booth, and it seemed to get shorter as all the kids crowded together, ticket money held at the ready.