Jack and Maude: Daring Adventures

Dared to be Scared

The keys jangled nervously in the lock before it turned and the door opened with a creak. The interior was in shadow, the stairway stretched up into darkness. A flashlight made dust motes dance in the air as two figures moved into the building.

"I swear Jack, if this is another hokey scheme you and Jamie concocted..."

Light flickered across the young woman's face, picking up tight, blonde ringlets and a look of annoyance. He'd been on the receiving end of that stare more times than he cared to count. "Hey, I didn't have anything to do with this. You're the one that keeps accepting his stupid ass dares. I'm just along to aid a damsel who might find herself in distress."

Maude gave a very un-ladylike snort. "Yeah, right." She looked around the lobby of the old theatre. The 1890's brick building was recently restored. She knew that up the grand staircase the lobby doors would open onto old style grace. Pale yellow walls stenciled with subtle designs. Red curtains draped the loge boxes. The piece de resistance was the chandelier hanging from the center of the room. She and Jack both knew the nooks and crannies of each room, back stage and front.

The brooding actor, who swore he was typecast when he was given the role of Hamlet, paused with his foot on the stairs. "Hey, we can turn around right now as far as I'm concerned." Dark eyes squinted into the darkness. Was that someone at the top? What exactly had Jamie concocted?

"What's wrong, is Jackie-Wackie scared of things that go bump in the night?"

It was his turn to give a snort. "The only thing going bump in here tonight is us."

Maude followed as Jack began moving up towards the interior of the theatre. In the silhouette of the flashlight's beam she could admire his strong profile, the aquiline nose, and firm jawline barely fuzzy with stubble. There was just something sexy about a man with scruff. Not that she would ever admit that to him.

Outside of the auditorium doors Jack paused. "So, where do you want to set up camp? Our resident ghost has a few spots she enjoys. We can hang out by the elevators. You know how Sally enjoys the ride." He glanced to a set of stairs to their right; a matching pair on the left would take them up another level, and squinted. "She's also fond of the front row up in the balcony."

Goosebumps crawled up her arm. They'd been inside the building plenty of times past the witching hour. But always with other people and never on a true quest to meet the long lost soul of the poor woman who had ended her own life by jumping from the balcony. "Seems to me the stage would offer the best view of the house." She adjusted the small backpack on her shoulder, the provisions inside rearranging themselves. "And if we get food on the carpet you know Karen will kill us."

Jack pushed open the door with full glass from top to bottom. The inside was draped in gold material to keep the light out. "Stage it is then. You did remember the camera right?"

"Yes. Though I don't know what Jaime expects is going to happen. I doubt Sally is just gonna pop up and say 'hell yeah, take my picture, but make sure you get my good side.' He's got something planned."

Laughter spilled across the large room. "Well if he does, I don't know anything about it. Cross my heart."

Maude paused, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Emergency exit lights on the side doors cast an orange glow up the aisles. The side windows allowed a bit of the outside streetlights into the auditorium but it did no more than add to the shadows. "I don't know Jack..."

He bumped her shoulder. "Scaredy cat."

"It feels like one of those amusement houses in here." She took one cautious step forward as though trying to avoid a land mine or trip wire. "I do not like surprises."

"You know he's playing mind games. Ten to one he wants you to think there's something here, when in reality there is nothing here. He's counting on you freaking yourself out worse than he ever could."

She turned and gave him the briefest of smiles before turning back towards the stage, her head shaking. "The sad part is I actually I understood what you just said, I think." Her steps became more determined as she walked forward down the center aisle.

"I have that affect on women."

Maude let that one pass. At the end of the rows of chairs there was a wooden rail that separated the audience from the orchestra pit. The small gate was open so she went through and up the four carpeted steps to the main stage. The heavy gold curtain was pulled shut, hiding the bare space behind. She sat and let her feet dangle over the edge.

Jack settled down beside her, shining the light out over the empty auditorium. It was midnight and therefore, very little traffic noise from the street outside. Beneath them, pipes sputtered and the radiators gave an occasional hiss of heat. "So, what's next?"

"I guess we wait." Not her strongest suit. "You know I've never been here when the lights are all out like this. It's kind of creepy."

He sidled a little closer, pressing his thigh against hers. "It doesn't have to be."

She slapped his shoulder. "Is there ever a time when your mind isn't in the gutter?"

Laughter bounced off the walls and echoed up into the balcony. "Rarely. But then again, you're usually right there with me. If I recall it wasn't long ago that you were wrestling with me down there in the Green Room."

"Jack?"

There was something different to her tone. Her whole body had gone tense. He glanced at her and then followed her gaze up to the balcony. A shadowy figure was drifting down an aisle to the front row of seats. His mouth opened to say something but for the life of him he couldn't think of what he wanted to say. "Camera," he finally managed to whisper, "where's the camera?"

Maude fumbled in the backpack for the camera, her eyes never leaving the apparition. There was movement to her left as Jack scrambled to his feet. "Where're you going?"

"To get a closer look."

She forgot about the camera and reached to grab his hand. "Do you think that's wise?"

"What's she going to do? Push me over the balcony?"

There was a tremble to her voice, "Are you really going to leave me here all by myself?"

His eyebrow arched as he looked down at her. "Since when have you been scared of anything? What's going on here Miss Maudie?"

She let his hand drop. "Nothing. I just thought...."

Jack bent down to brush a kiss on her forehead. "You'll be fine and I'll be right back."

Maude watched him creep up the aisle as if the ghost could hear him. Maybe she could. Once he was out of sight she stood, dusting at the bottom of her jeans. Peering around she whispered as low as she could, "Jaime? Jaime he's on his way upstairs."

There was movement from a loge box to her right. Her co-conspirator stuck his head out from behind a curtain. "Why, I haven't even got this blasted projector working yet. You guys were a little early."

Maude turned back towards the balcony where the dark figure was now floating at the edge of the balcony. She turned back towards Jaime. "Then who's up there?"