Dark Museum

Sophia

The designers configured the museum in a circular maze, the perfect immersive experience. Instead of enjoying the exhibits, Sophia, Josh, and Ajay kept an eye out for phones or exit signs or whoever turned the music off. Nil on all three.

Someone had crafted each area too well to be marred by step ladders and cardboard boxes. Cabinets and shelves no longer in use leaned against walls or lay stacked on the floor.

"No one's opening this place in the morning," Josh whispered.

Dirt, dust, and loose bolts on the ground made Sophia's top priority finding shoes.

"What kind of museum do you think this was?" Josh asked.

"I want to say a film museum," Ajay said, "because of the car I woke up next to."

"Was that a reference to something?" Sophia asked. "Because it just looked grim."

He blinked at her as though she had to be joking. "Ek Philm Sheershak?"

Sophia dropped the pant leg of a mannequin, letting another pair of metal shoes go. She had no idea what Ajay said and was sorry she'd asked. He wasn't even trying to look for a shirt; even with the scars, she guessed he liked showing off those abs. They were as smooth as his clean-shaven face.

"It's a very famous film," Ajay continued. "Released three years ago. I starred with Anuksha Rai and Shahid Khan."

Sophia and Josh exchanged glances and picked across a string of dead lights on the floor.

"Let me guess," Ajay said, stunned by their blank expressions. "You've never seen a Bollywood movie."

"Sorry," Sophia said.

"I make over seven crores per film, which is well over a million US dollars." He paused. "I'm India's Tom Cruise if that makes it easier."

"So," Josh said, "how long have you been here, Ajay?"

His flashlight beam passed over a taxidermy cat hanging as though walking on the wall.

"Weird," Sophia whispered.

"As long as I've seen the two of you," Ajay said. "Few hours at most?"

"Do either of you remember the date?" Sophia asked.

"August." "November." Josh and Ajay said together.

"It's August," Ajay repeated. "I know because it's scorching."

"I just sent out my Christmas cards," Josh said.

Sophia nodded. "Yeah, we were starting cap season early at work. Thanksgiving was yesterday."

They were silent while they waited for who would ask the inevitable next question. Sophia did.

"Eighty-nine?"

Josh nodded.

Ajay shook his head. "Nineteen Ninety."

"We haven't—" Josh's voice caught. "I performed a concert last night. She was there."

"There's no way we've been here for almost a year," Sophia said. "Josh would have a beard about a mile long." But one of her longer-than-natural braids dropped over her shoulder.

"The electricity's still on," Josh said.

"Then there's bound to be a phone somewhere," Sophia said. "Maybe in an office?"

"Sweetie," Ajay retorted, "Look at this place. If we even find one, it'll be disconnected because nobody's coming back."

"I'm not your sweetie."