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October 18, 2003
When you're scared, there are never enough locks.
After movie-hopping for half a day, she decided to escape her last film through the fire exits at the front of the theater. Nobody frequented these exits, so she knew she would not encounter any employees who might be onto her rouse. What she didn't realize, however, was that her "escape" would prove to be an actual one.
As soon as the theater door clicked closed behind, her she had an uneasy feeling. Dimly lit halls stretched out on both sides, and the path in front of her marked "Exit" curled around to a very long stairway with no visible door. The air was stuffy. She noticed that the halls were silent, no movie sounds audible through the walls. She told herself that it was only the unsettling film she'd just watched that had her a little on edge, but just for her own peace of mind she turned back to try and exit through the theater like everyone else. Just as she feared, though, the door was locked. Not really sure of which way to go to get out, she walked to the right. Passing another theater she halfheartedly jiggled the handle, but already knew it would not be of use to her.
She was still holding onto the handle of that second door when she heard someone come out into the hallway from her theater. Instead of being able to follow him out of the maze, she noticed immediately that he wasn't moving at all. She quickly glanced over to see a big man, in a red shirt and black hat, staring her down. Now she knew there was cause for fear. He had seen her leave alone through the fire exit, and had come out after her. And just as she realized this, she also realized that he might be standing between her and the only exit.
"Hey," he called out to her. She turned away silent, not wanting to engage him, and began walking briskly away.
"Hey," he called again, "Hey sweetheart! Where you going?"
As soon as she heard him speak again her pace increased considerably. Even more so when she heard him start to walk after her. He didn't call out again, just followed in silence.
Her heart racing, she glanced back just in time to see him break into a run. With that, she took off. She didn't know where she was going or if she was even running toward an exit, but at that point she was not going to stop. She rounded one corner and took off down another hallway - able to hear him still behind her but not daring to waste time looking. Another turn revealed a long stairway, which she ran down as fast as she could. She was breathing hard, and could hear his panting close behind her. She slammed through door at the bottom of the stairs and flew out into the dark. She was in an alley behind the movie theater.
There were no people, only a parking garage up ahead. As she heard him catch the door behind her she continued running - and started screaming like a mad thing. She just kept running and screaming until she got closer to the parking lot. She glanced again over her shoulder to see her would-be assailant take off down the alley the other way. Still, she kept running, the screams almost involuntary. As she neared people, and began to get some strange looks, her pace slowed. She finally stopped running and turned to see the man rounding a distant corner into the dark.
Two security officers pulled up in a golf cart. Still gasping for breath, she told them only that she was alright, and apologized for the screaming. For some reason, she didn't tell them what was going on. She wasn't thinking. She didn't really know what she was doing at that point. Her chest ached, her legs were burning, and she could feel her heart pounding beneath her ribs.
It wasn't until after the golf cart sped away that she noticed where she was - or rather that she didn't know where she was. Her car was in another garage at the opposite end of the huge, labyrinth-like plaza. She walked speedily back through the complex, glancing nervously at every red shirt she passed and fumbling with her phone. After what seemed like hours, she reached her car. She steadied her shaky hand and opened the door. Jumping in and locking the door quickly behind her, she dissolved into hysterical, shuddering sobs.
A few minutes later, her composure regained, she turned on her car with her radio up full blast, and drove home in a daze. It was unreal.
Posted by kati at October 18, 2003 09:51 PM
Comments
Whoa Kati
You never told me you were chased out of the movie theater.
Well run, it looks as though the jogging is coming in handy.
p.s. you are BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Posted by: kelly at October 19, 2003 02:04 PM
OMFG! I just finished about 3 hours of CrimLaw reading about rape actus reas so I thought I would head on over to Kati's place to see what she's been up to and I find that you're wandering around abandoned theater exits getting chased by scary ass dudes!? Please tell me that's not for real, like... Sadako!
Posted by: Kristina at October 21, 2003 10:38 PM
Don't even joke about Sadako man. That shit's so real it's not even funny. you can't even joke. or she'll eat you. for reals.
Posted by: kati at October 21, 2003 11:19 PM
Yeah, Sadako isn't funny. When I wrote that last night, just the thought of her scared me so much I unplugged my TV and had to move from where I had been reading, so my back wasn't to any doors...
Posted by: Kristina at October 22, 2003 09:53 AM
Today is my day to wander around CH asking people what the hell they're talking about. Who's Sadako?
Posted by: dianna at October 22, 2003 11:31 AM
Sadako is the original Demon-girl who comes out through the telly and eats your soul, From "Ringu," the Japanese predecessor of "The Ring."
She's way scary.
Posted by: kati at October 22, 2003 12:44 PM
NOOOOOOO!
I was horribly afraid that was going to be the answer, what with the unplugging the TV and all. But then I attempted to search for "Sadako" on google and all I found was stories about a Japanese girl with radiation sickness making paper cranes. That didn't really seem to qualify as terrifyingly evil.
I still think Samara sounds scarier. And I will thank my lucky stars for the rest of my life for the fact that, no matter how many people mention her horribly creepy lurching action, it remains removed from me in scariness because I had my face buried in Jacob's shoulder and didn't actually see it. ...and please lord let me remain so sensible if I ever watch it again.
Posted by: dianna at October 22, 2003 07:25 PM