Special Screening

Mike had just got off work and decided to drop by the Post Office to get his mail before catching the bus home. He still had time before the next bus stopped in the tunnel. When he unlocked his post box he was relieved that it wasnt crammed with bills and credit card applications. Tonight's offering yielded an auction catalog for the next militaria auction.

 

"Maybe I can add to my collection of German photo albums from the Norwgian occupation." Mike mused as he had five photo albums from that period that he could write a book about the German occupation. Heck, as owner of the albums he also owned the copyrights to the photos. The other piece of mail was a curiosity. It was a blank envelope addressed to him. No return address. Mike would ponder this later as he shoved the mail into his briefcase and left to catch his bus.

 

Later at home, Mike took the envelope and pondered it. Probably another solicitation. Instead of tossing it in the waste basket he opened it. Inside was a letter  and a ticket. "CONGRATULATIONS!' The letter started. 'You have been selected for a special screening at the Metropol Theater on Saturday night at 8 p.m. at 5th and Holgate.'

 

"Metropol?" Mike's eyebrow raised. "5th and Holgate?" That place was closed for years and the homeless pretty much took over that street but he also knew that those artsy fartsy types were always competing with each other for opening space in derelict parts of town. He would go. What the heck, right?

 

Saturday night came and Mike was amazed at what he saw or what he didn't see. Nary a homeless tent anywhere. The sidewalks were clean, The theater looked like it was restored to it's former glory. "Whoever these people are they spared no expense." Mike mused impressed. As Mike was about to cross the street, a voice startled him.

 

"Excuse me sir." It was a disheveled stranger. "Please don't go inside that place. It is evil, I lost friends." Mike regained his composure and gave the man a twenty dollar bill. :Here, buy yourself a steak dinner or whatever." The man grabbed his arm. "PLease! I beg you don't go in!" Mike shook him off and ran across the street. As he made it to the other side, he saw the stranger just standing there sadly shaking his head.

 

As Mike made it to the theater entrance, he gave his ticket to the man at the door. "So what's the movie about?" Mike asked the ticket taker. The guant figure gravely smiled and motioned to the curtained doorway. "Oohh, a special screening. Ok" Mike walked through the doorway and noticed there were a few people seated.

 

After he sat down the lights dimmedand the screen gradually lit up. A wailing cry of what Mike recognized was of a Stuka Dive Bomber growing from faint to loud and the screen depicted a black and white image of a terrified soldier running across the beach to escape the predator only to be cut down in the surf.

 

As the screen focused on the bloody waves rolling over the sunken victim's lifeless face, Mike noticed to his alarm that the dead soldier's face was his own. Mike jumped out of his seat when the screen went black and the lights returned. Mike saw that the fellow audience members were manniquins, He ran through the curtained doorway only to trip and fall after he exited only to find himself on a beach with the curtained doorway gone.

 

He heard the recognizable cry of a Stuka getting louder and he ran looking for any cover. THe sand shot up around him and Mike creamed in pain as he saw to his horror that his leg was shot up. He saw the Stuka zoom off only to return back to finish it's job. Mike froze in agonizing horror as he saw the Stuka's painted shark's face zero in on him only to discover it wasn't painted-

 

CHOMP!