“Chaos inside
And everywhere I hide
It never stops the hurting
Caught in the riptide
I’m struggling to fight
Underneath the current”
Daughtry – THE DAM
It’s time for Chapter III. I’ve had fun thus far with this. Granted them all being darker and more leaning into the framework of the story keeps it on a certain track. It’s been enjoyable to get back into shooting, editing, and writing if it’s not my normal writing. I’d say more but then I would spoil the previous chapters if you haven’t read them. I can say I do not know how many chapters there will be or when it’s going to end. We’ll see where it takes us. I will say I finally got my photo alt back for beheading me last year for Halloween. Checkmate Cori.
If you missed Chapter I of the story, you can find it here! Chapter II can be found here!
The next evening, the rhythmic flicker of neon lights greeted Alex as he pulled up in front of the “Casey Cinema,” a relic from another era. Its marquis, half-lit, boasted: Now Showing – Carnival Of Pain: Silent Curse. The vintage theme clashed with the uneasy knot in Alex’s stomach as he stepped out of the car.
The lead had come from a burner phone he’d found in the duffel bag that was left in the car the night prior. A single, cryptic text had been sent an hour before: “The show starts soon. Don’t miss it.” The address was the theater. If Nixon wanted Alex to follow, Alex wasn’t about to disappoint.
Inside, the air was thick with the buttery scent of popcorn and the low hum of an old projector. The lobby was deserted, save for the bored teenager at the concessions stand, who didn’t bother to look up from their phone. Alex scanned the area, noting the worn red carpet and faded posters for movies long past.
A single door at the back of the lobby was ajar, light spilling out. The sign above read, Auditorium 3. Alex moved toward it, his hand instinctively brushing against the holster at his side.
The room was almost pitch-black, save for the silver glow of the screen. The grainy, black-and-white opening credits of Silent Curse played, the music swelling in eerie contrast to the empty rows of seats. Empty, except for one.
A lone figure sat in the middle of the theater, their silhouette still against the flickering light. Alex moved cautiously down the aisle, his steps muffled by the carpet. His flashlight remained off, his eyes adjusting to the dark. As he neared, he noticed the figure wasn’t moving.
Something was wrong.
“Police,” Alex called out, his voice low but firm. “Turn around, slowly.”
No response. Alex’s pulse quickened as he closed the distance, his hand on his gun. The figure was slumped backward, their face obscured. The flickering light from the screen illuminated hands intertwined above their head, hands that weren’t moving.
“Damn it,” Alex muttered. He reached out, gripping the figure’s shoulder, and turned them slightly. His heart sank.
It wasn’t Nixon. It was a woman, mid-30s, her eyes dead and vacant. A single red line ran across her throat, the blood soaking into her shirt and pooling in the seat. In her lap was a small envelope, identical to the one Alex had found earlier.
Alex snatched it up, ripping it open. Another Polaroid fell out. This time, the photo was of the theater itself, taken facing the projection booth. A single figure was barely visible in the image: a shadow standing, watching.
Suddenly, the screen flickered. The movie stopped, replaced by a live feed of Alex himself, standing over the body. The camera angle was high, likely from the same projection booth.
A voice crackled over the theater’s sound system, low and distorted. “Smile, Detective. You’re the star of the show.”
Alex spun toward the projection room at the back of the theater, adrenaline spiking. The shadowy figure from the Polaroid was gone. The chase was back on…
To Be Continued…
Credits can be found below as always. Stay tuned for Chapter IV.
“Hatred is breeding, the vultures are feeding
It’s taking a turn for the worst
Can’t keep pretending, can’t change the ending
And everything’s buried underneath”
Daughtry – THE DAM
Credits:
~Him~
Head: LeLUTKA.Head.NOA.4.0 ~ Jaden Nova
Head Applier: VELOUR: OMAR Skin for Evo X (TAN-NB) ~ Kiria Mama
Hair: Stealthic – Baron (Brown) ~ Stealthic Resident
Hairbase: LeLUTKA.EvoX.Hairbase.044 (BOM) ~ Jaden Nova (Comes with the LeLUTKA NOA Head)
Eyes: Avi-Glam. Delirium Eyes – 5 ~ Eye Daddy
Ears: ^^Swallow^^ Gauged S Ears ~ Luciayes Magic
Ear Tattoo: RichB. Ears Tattoo #08 ~ Salvy Hexem
Beard: [MAGNIFICENT] Ducky Skunk Beard & Stache – LeBarbier Alpha
Beard Layer: [MR] Jimmi Facial Hair for EvoX Heads Style 1 ~ Daniel Whiskers
Body: [LEGACY] Athletic Edition (1.7.1) ~ MeshBody Resident
Skin: VELOUR: PICASSO HOMME Skin for Legacy (FIT/TAN) Picasso Neck ~ Kiria Mama
Hand BOM: K.O.K.O.S SHOP – SEXI MAN HANDS-BOM ALL BODY. ~ Aleric Dallas
Nails: Pare.Cure Mesh Nails Both Hands [Short] – Legacy ~ Flazedo Resident
Torso Tattoo: DAPPA – Zebani Tattoo. [FADED] Lelutka EvoX. ~ Devil Fae
Jacket: //Ascend// Boyde Sherpa Long Jacket – Legacy ~ AscendFashion Resident
Boots: //Ascend// Liam Trousers ~ AscendFashion Resident
Glasses: :: DS :: Heath Glasses ~ Deep Static
Earrings: = DAE = SXD1 ~ Naomi Darkheart
~Her~
Head: LeLutka EvoX MILAN 4.0 ~ Jaden Nova
Hair: DOUX – Graceful Hairstyle ~ Dam1710 Resident
Head Skin: [Glam Affair] Korina [Lelutka EvoX] Valley~ Aida Ewing
Body: [LEGACY] [BODY] (f) (1.7.1) ~ MeshBody Resident
Skin: VELOUR x VENUS for LEGACY (VALLEY/ATHLETIC) ~ Kiria Mama
Neck Cut: Izzie’s – Evo X – Slit Throat + Splatters ~ Izzie Button
Tattoo: DAPPA – Impact Tattoo. [FRESH] ~ Devil Fae
Shirt: TETRA – Serenity Top ~ Nata Fluffpaw
Pants: TETRA – Euphoria Jeans ~ Nata Fluffpaw
~Scene~
Backdrop: MINIMAL – Casey Cinema ~ MINIMALgroup Resident