The Curious Incidents at Grand Show Place Cinema

Chapter 1

This story is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental

Edward Wardale, the manager of Grand Show Place Cinema, and his sister and co-manager, Candace Wardale, ran a mid-size movie theatre with five theatres in a small city.

"COVID is putting a big damper on our profits. I don't know if the renovations were a good idea." Edward mused as he tapped his pen on the large oak office desk. A small, well-worn rag doll missing one eye was lying on the left side of the desk.

"Where did the doll come from?" Edward pushed at it with his pen.

"I don't know, maybe someone found it in one of the theatres. I thought you put it there," Candace shrugged.

"As for the renovations, I thought Mom and Dad put aside plenty for the renos plus a healthy contingency," Candace replied.

"They did, but with our low profit right now, it would not take much to be in the red. If someone did not take so much time off and we didn't have to pay staff to fill in..." Edward's voice trailed off.

"You worry too much, besides I have not been gone that much lately. My last trip was gathering information for your stupid genealogy hobby." Candace retorted.

"I do appreciate you doing that for me. You need to settle down and help out more with the theatre. You can travel all you want once we get past these renos and earn enough to pay for them. You don't want to squander Mom and Dad's and the family's legacy, do you?"

"Nice try with the guilt trip. I work very hard here, and you know it. I don't feel like settling down. Besides, you know my luck with dating lately. I think I am better off staying single and traveling while still young like Mom and Dad did when they were young. You always complain about how little time you have now that you have two kids. Does misery want company?" Candace snorted.

"Melanie and I feel very fulfilled with our lives, and we just think you may too." Edward huffed.

Suddenly a deep rumble in the building sounded like it was coming from the far end.

Candace and Edward went to Theatre 5 to investigate. Just as they walked through the entrance, the rumble started again. They could see the exit door vibrating. Edward ran down to the exit door and pushed it open. There was nothing there. He turned to Candace, and she looked bewildered.

"What was that?" Candace asked.

"I have no idea. Wind, maybe?" Edward rubbed his forehead.

One of the students that worked for them called from the entrance.

"We need your help at the ticket booth."

"I will take care of it." Candace sighed.

A disheveled and confused woman mumbled some incoherent words at Candace.

"Are you okay, miss?" Candace queried.

The woman stuck her face in the slot at the bottom of the ticket booth glass, and the smell of horrible bad breath wafted over Candace as the woman screeched in an ear-splitting high pitch.

"I am sorry, miss, you will have to leave,"

"No, NO, NO, you have no right...." The woman said, her voice trailing off as she nearly fell over.

"A good opportunity for you to use your black belt." Edward teased Candace.

"No thanks, just call the police." Candace snapped back.

Edward called the police as Candace tried to calm the woman. The woman wore a full-length white cotton dress with black curved stripes tapering down the sides and a black headscarf. She continued to rant and flail around. The woman appeared as if she were trying to dance in semi-circles like a toddler with the newly found discovery of being able to stand up but not wanting to venture too far in case of a fall. The police arrived, and the woman grabbed the bottom of the glass on the ticket booth and started screaming, "You have no right; justice must be done," repeatedly. One of the police officers got a handcuff on the woman's right hand. The woman pointed at Candace with her left hand and, in an ominous and throaty tone with spit flying onto the glass as she spoke,

"I curse this place like you cursed me. Me and you, the blood runs deep."

The police officer put the other handcuff on the woman and escorted her to the police car.

"Are you okay, Candace? I wonder what that was all about?" Edward asked.

"Drugs, maybe? I am not sure. Her costume looked like she was going for an Egyptian vibe. Maybe she was practicing for Halloween." Candace laughed.
"That was enough excitement for me. I am heading home. I will see you tomorrow." Edward said.

Candace closed the theatre that night. Just as she was about to turn off the lights in theatres 1 and 3, the lights burned out with a loud pop. She left a note for Edward about the burned-out lights.