The Empty Terminal

Sweet 16

My name is Raven, and my twin brother, Hunter, has always been my best friend. I was born exactly one minute before him, a fact I never let him forget.

Neither of us really fit in at school. While everyone else seemed to have their own groups and endless plans for the weekends, Hunter and I were perfectly content keeping to ourselves. Our mom worried that we didn't have many friends, but honestly, we never felt like we were missing out. We had each other, and that was enough.

Tonight was just another Friday—except it wasn't.

It was our sixteenth birthday.

Most kids our age were celebrating with friends, but Hunter and I had something different in mind. A brand-new museum had just opened downtown, complete with its own movie theater, and it was premiering the newest Star Vaders film. Since we were both obsessed with anything remotely related to space battles, lightsabers, and aliens, spending our birthday there felt like the perfect way to celebrate.

By the time we arrived, the place was already buzzing with excitement.

Crowds packed the entrance, eager to experience the grand opening of the Sirens Museum. Conversations overlapped in every direction as people admired the architecture and excitedly discussed the movie they had either just watched or were about to see.

Hunter and I squeezed through the crowd until we finally reached the massive entrance.

The tall glass doors opened into an enormous marble lobby, illuminated by warm golden lights that reflected off polished floors. Museum exhibits stretched in every direction, each display filled with strange artifacts resting silently behind spotless glass. It almost felt as though the objects wanted to be admired.

Straight ahead stood the theater.

Large black letters spelling STAR VADERS glowed above the entrance while the familiar soundtrack echoed faintly from inside the auditorium.

Hunter nudged me with a grin.

"Why don't you go find us some seats while I grab popcorn and drinks?"

I laughed.

"With this many people? We'd lose each other in five seconds. I'll come with you."

"Fair enough."

After what felt like an eternity standing shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of impatient moviegoers, we finally collected our tickets, snacks, and drinks before making our way into the theater.

As luck would have it, our seats were directly between two couples who couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other.

Hunter leaned over and muttered, "Guess we're the only ones here to actually watch the movie."

I couldn't help but laugh.

The couple beside me immediately caught my attention.

The young woman had long, chestnut-brown hair that fell in loose waves past her shoulders. Whenever the movie screen flickered, strands of gold shimmered through her hair. A dusting of freckles rested across her nose, and despite the crowded theater, she seemed completely at ease, laughing softly between whispered conversations with her boyfriend.

Hunter nudged me with a smirk.

"I see you staring."

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not staring."

"Right. Sure you're not."

Before I could defend myself, something else caught my attention.

The woman's purse sat on the floor beside her seat with the top slightly open. A ticket receipt stuck out just enough for me to notice the words Motion Seating Upgrade. I wondered if Hunter had accidentally bought us the same tickets without mentioning it.

The lights dimmed.

The opening music thundered through the theater as the movie began.

Without warning, my seat lurched.

The floor beneath us seemed to disappear as the chairs dipped sharply before launching upward. My stomach dropped. One second I felt weightless, the next I was gripping the armrests for dear life.

The chair twisted and jolted so violently I thought I might be thrown out of it.

A scream caught in my throat.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, the motion stopped with a heavy thud.

I let out a shaky breath.

"Next time," I muttered, "warn me the seats move."

Hunter laughed.

"I honestly forgot."

A few minutes later, he leaned past me toward the man seated on his other side.

"I'm going to grab another round of popcorn and drinks. Want to come?"

The man looked to be a few years older than us. He had a rough, streetwise appearance that immediately stood out. Dark tattoos crawled up his neck and disappeared beneath the sleeve of his black T-shirt. As he stood, I noticed what looked like the outline of a handgun beneath his jacket.

A chill crept over me.

There was something about him that felt...off.

His girlfriend noticed me watching and shot me a glare sharp enough to make me look away.

Without another word, Hunter and the man left the theater together.

The woman crossed her arms, chewing her gum loudly as she continued staring in my direction. Every time I glanced over, her eyes were already on me.

When Hunter finally returned, I leaned toward him.

"What was that about?"

Before he could answer, someone tugged gently on my sleeve.

I turned.

The brunette smiled politely.

"You want a piece of candy?" she asked as she lifted her purse onto her lap.

"Sure," I said, leaning closer.

She opened the bag.

My smile vanished.

Resting inside wasn't candy.

It was a revolver.

Cold metal reflected the faint glow from the movie screen.

For a moment I couldn't breathe.

She looked at me with a small smile, as though she had shown me something completely ordinary.

"You should join us," she whispered. "I've got an extra. It'll be fun...I promise."

My pulse hammered in my ears.

I looked at Hunter.

The color had drained from his face.

I slowly shook my head.

"No."

My voice barely came out above a whisper.

"We're not interested. We won't say anything. We just want to watch the movie."

Her smile faded.

Hunter and I stood, intending to leave.

As I rose from my seat, she brushed past me.

At first, I thought it had been an accident.

Then I felt something heavy slide into my purse.

I looked down.

My blood ran cold.

She had slipped the revolver into my bag.