“Whoa,” Anna whispered. “This all looks so complicated.”
“It isn’t really, once you get to know things,” her sister shrugged “But when things do get too complicated, I call in Benny.”
“Yep, that’s what they pay me for,” he plopped his large bag of tools on the floor. As he did, a flash of light filled the gray morning sky.
“Was that lightning?” Anna asked.
A loud boom of thunder answered her question.
“I heard we were supposed to get a storm today,” Hank said. “I just didn’t expect it until later this afternoon.”
The tap of raindrops began to pelt against the windows of the room.
“Well, looks like it decided to pay us an early visit,” Benny joked, kneeling down near the machine. “We’ll probably want to unplug this while I work.”
“And because of the storm,” Anna added.
Belle leaned down and unplugged it. “The lightning won’t hurt it, even if it is plugged in. I have it on a surge protector. It’s expensive equipment, after all.”
“Oh, makes sense.”
“It looks like your vent may be a little clogged up,” Benny guessed, diagnosing the issue after only looking at the machine for a moment.
“Do we have to clean it out?” Belle asked, coming around the projector to have a look.
“Easy-peezy,” he nodded, reaching in and carefully unsnapping the plastic locks and pulling off the grate. A thick layer of dust covered the inside.
“Woah, gross.”
“Yep, all you need to do is clean this out once a month or so and this won’t happen.”
“How do you do that?”
Benny reached into his bag and pulled out a can of compressed air. “Get one of these,” he instructed, “and just blow out this here dust.” Pointing it at the vent, he pressed down on the can’s release valve and sprayed a few concentrated shots of air, sending the dust fluffing right off.
“Awesome,” Belle said, stealing a glance at her sister who appeared to be shifting carefully closer to Hank. “And they have that at the hardware store?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded, snapping the cover back in place. “I’d go ahead and run it once before tonight’s showing, though, just to make sure it’s in ship-shape.”
“Sounds good.”
Picking his bag back up, he let out a slight groan. “Darn, it looks like I got some mud on your floor. Guess my bag is a little dirty.”
“No problem. I’ll clean it up later.”
“Alrighty,” he nodded, turning to his younger partner. “Well, I’m sorry, but it looks like there isn’t much to show you today that you don’t already know.”
“Hey, no problem,” Hank replied in his low voice the caused the whole room to echo. “Next time.”
“Alright, ladies. We’ll bid you farewell,” the large man waved, heading out down the long hallway with Hank and disappearing down the stairs.
Waving goodbye, Belle bent down and plugged the machine back into the outlet. Just as the prongs touched the connection, another brilliant flash filled the room with light, followed by another boom of thunder. Instantly, every screen in the room flickered on, and the projector hummed to life.
“What the heck?”
Without warning, the projector began shooting images onto the large screen across the parking lot. Black candles, voodoo skulls, and strange symbols, all one after another flickered across the projection.
The sound of ambient jungle drums filled the air.
None of it looked like a movie Belle recognized.
“You must have turned it on,” Anna suggested.
“But I didn’t,” she argued, watching the screen. The strange chant of voices filled the air.
“What movie is this?”
“I don’t know,” Belle argued, turning to the computer screen and attempting to shut the whole thing off.
The drums and chants grew louder, and the images flickered faster.
“Turn it off,” Anna pleaded. “I can’t stand that noise.”
“I’m trying.” Belle said, struggling to figure out how to stop the film.
The drums were beginning to reach their peak and the screens all suddenly shut off and the projector went quiet.
“Thank you,” Anna sighed.
Belle felt the side of the projector. It was cool to the touch as if it had never been turned on in the first place.
CHAPTER 6
Once that fiasco was over, Belle couldn’t help but groan. “I’ll have to have them come back and look at it again tomorrow.”
“Benny and Hank?” Anna asked a little too eagerly.
Belle raised an eyebrow at her sister.
“What?”
“Sheesh, you’ve only been home like twenty minutes.”
“And?”
“And you’re already scoping out the men.”
Anna narrowed her eyes, making that same irritated face that Belle had become so familiar with over the years. “Not everyone’s mind works like yours, Belle. Some of us have other things to think about.”
Belle nodded. “I see that your self-righteous attitude hasn’t changed.”
“I’m not self-righteous.”
The blonde-haired sister couldn’t help but smile at this familiar exchange of words between them. “And it’s so good to have you home again.” She nodded toward the door on the other side of the projection booth. “Come on, I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping.”
Belle showed her sister through the second door in the projection booth which led to the apartment.
“You have to go through the projection booth to get to your apartment?” Anna complained slightly.
“Well, I figured it was better than having it installed in my apartment,” she joked. “But if it really bothers you, there is a metal staircase that leads up to the back door.” She motioned toward a metal door just past the fridge in the kitchen.
Anna looked around the room, impressed at how clean it was. The large living area had windows looking directly out over the theater with a clear view of the screen. The couch faced that same direction.
“This way I can come up here and watch the movies in my own private apartment,” Belle noted. “Not that I ever have the time for anything like that. I’m usually rushing around helping in the kitchen, or serving people at their cars.”
“Still,” Anna had to admit, “it’s sort of cool.”
“If I showed more than just old horror movies, right?” Belle pushed, knowing her sister’s preferences.
“Well, what about a romance once in a while?”
“Can’t stand em’.”
“Of course, not,” Anna laughed quietly. “Not much has changed.”
“My bedroom is through there,” Belle noted, pointing at the door “This couch pulls out into a bed. Heck, you could lay in bed and watch the movies.”
“Joy,” she said sarcastically.
“Well, I better get back downstairs and check on the hot sauce, and I’ll need to run the projector a little later to make sure it’s working well enough for tonight. Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks,” she said, watching her sister leave the apartment and shut the door.
For the first time since her arrival, the depression of sleeping on her sister’s couch hit her.
* * *
It wasn’t until two-thirty in the afternoon when Belle got around to checking the projector. As she sat at the computer pulling up the files and programs she needed, she couldn’t help but think about her sister in the next room.
It was a strange feeling having her home, almost surreal. The collage of feelings was beginning to get overwhelming.
Earlier that morning, she was angry at her sister for what she’d done—for leaving so abruptly. She had been so unwilling to forgive her. However, when Anna had shown up only minutes later in person, Belle could hardly believe it. In particular, the happiness she felt about having her only family come home was immense.
Now, as the day was waning, her feelings had turned to sadness. She stewed over the path both of their lives had taken, the separation they’d endured.
But above all else was the sensation of blame that she just couldn’t get rid of. She felt sick to her stomach for it, guilty for it, and yet it was there. She blamed Anna for her parents dying in that accident, and blamed her even more after she’d up and left, claiming she was perusing a better life—a more worthwhile and responsible career—than Belle.
Shaking her head, she tried not to think about it, double checked the projector was warmed up and pressed play on the movie. Despite it being mid-day, there was enough cloud cover that she could just make out the image of the movie on the large screen across the parking lot. Of course, she could also see it on her computer screen which was hooked up to the projector.
At first, the screen was just black and silent, and then came a blood curdling woman’s scream from the computer’s speakers. Belle felt a shiver run down her spine as it always did when she watched this movie. If there was one thing that could take her mind off her problems—even a problem as big as her sister—it was House on Haunted Hill.
Suddenly, a transparent and disembodied ghostly head appeared in the blackness and began to speak. “The ghosts are moving tonight, restless, hungry,” she mouthed the words along with the film. The crazed character of Watson Pritchart introduced the haunted house itself, as if it had its own identity.
Suddenly, the door to the projector room opened and Anna stepped in. “Are you watching House on Haunted Hill?”
“Yes,” Belle told her, irritated that her brief moment of sanctuary had been ruined. “What do you want? Did you come in to ridicule my favorite film, again?”
“No, I wouldn’t do that,” she insisted. “You don’t need to be so defensive.”
Somehow, Belle didn’t agree. She’d spent most of her life defending her favorite films to her sister. Many a night, after the passing of their parents, Belle sat in front of the TV with one of the films, and almost every time she had to listen to a lecture from Anna. Don’t waste your time watching those, or, they’ll just make you miss Dad more, or, that won’t bring him back.
She shuddered at the memories. “Of course, I have to defend myself,” she insisted. “Just earlier you were so sarcastic about having a view of the movies from your bed. I know you never liked watching these old films with me.”
“Well, this one isn’t as bad as some of the others you and Dad used to watch.” She took a seat at the desk next to her sister. “In fact, this one is sort of fun.”
Shaking her head, Belle turned back to look at the screen. The image of the creepy house came up, and next, the host of the film’s “haunted house party” would appear and introduce himself.
But that didn’t happen. The music played, the movie continued on, but the character didn’t appear.
“What the heck?” Belle mumbled.
“What is it?”
“Something’s wrong. Frederick Loren didn’t show up when he was supposed to.”
Anna shrugged. “You probably just don’t remember how the movie goes.”
“I do remember. It’s my favorite film. I’ve seen it a hundred times.”
“And you wonder why I scold you about these things,” Anna sighed.
Belle knew there was something seriously wrong. Where was the film’s main character? Where was eccentric millionaire Fredrick Loren?
The hearses pulled up the long driveway and the title of the movie appeared, all without ever showing the character in question.
“This isn’t possible,” she muttered, watching as all of the film’s other characters entered the haunted house. Still, Frederick Loren didn’t appear at the stairway balcony like he should have. “It just isn’t possible.”
“I’m telling you,” Anna argued, her constant logic kicking in. “You just forgot how the movie goes.”
“No, I did not,” Belle snapped, standing up.
“Well, there’s no need to yell.”
Spinning toward the projector to see what was wrong, Belle felt her foot slip. Crying out, she threw out her hands and braced herself on the side of the large projector itself.
“Hey, watch it. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she groaned. “I just never got around to cleaning up that mud.”
“I’ll grab a cloth from the kitchen,” Anna offered. “Are they under the sink?”
“Yeah,” she nodded. “Thanks.”
Seconds later, she reappeared with the wet cloth and gave it to Belle.
Kneeling on the floor, the younger sister began to scrub away at the grime. “Still doesn’t make sense,” she muttered, thinking of the movie. She’d need to track down and buy another copy that was high enough quality for projection. Hopefully that would fix the problem.
But even then, she couldn’t very well understand what had happened, or how it had happened. For one of the characters in a movie to suddenly not be there just didn’t make any sense.
“Do you need help?”
“No, I do not,” she swept her hand in the space under the projector and felt her hand hit something.
“Are you sure I can’t help?” Anna pressed, hovering the way she always did whenever there was tension. She was the kind of person who just refused to stop talking until the problem was fixed and the air was clear.
“What is this?” Belle whispered, pulling the small object out and examining it. The face of a skull stared up at her. It appeared to be jaggedly carved out of wood and painted black.
“It looks like one of the trinkets from downstairs,” she noted. “The kind tourist shops sell, too.”
“But, I don’t remember buying this one,” she whispered.
“I’m sure you just forgot about it,” Anna stated matter-of-factly.
Already, Anna was starting to get on Belle’s nerves.
“Well, let’s just put it downstairs with the rest of the decorations, huh?” the older sister suggested.
Belle didn’t answer. She had the strangest feeling that she was being drawn into the blackness of the skull’s eyes as if she were looking into a great abyss.
In the distance on the bayou, she could hear the sound of drums.
CHAPTER 7
Setting the skull next to the computer keyboard, Belle forgot about it, focusing instead on the strange phenomenon of the missing character from the film.
Anna stayed for a while and watched over her shoulder. “Where is that one character?” she asked, finally noticing something was off about the film. “The creepy guy who hosts the party? I haven’t seen him once.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. He isn’t there, at all.” She shook her head. “It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen,” she admitted.
“I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.”
“It’s not. All the other character say their lines, and they wait around like someone else is talking to them, but he isn’t there.”
“Maybe it’s a faulty copy of the film.”
Belle sighed, closing the video. She couldn’t deal with her sister’s rationalizations at the moment. “It’s getting late, so I better pick a different movie and change the posters and marquee.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No.”
“Please,” Anna begged. “I don’t think I can stand just sitting around the apartment.”
“Take another nap. Weren’t you up driving all night?”
“I can’t sleep now. I’m feeling too anxious.”
Belle sighed, telling herself to calm down. She didn’t think she’d get this annoyed this fast with her sister around, but she did want Anna to be happy while she was there. It would be horrible to live in an apartment that was filled with non-stop tension and petty arguments.
“Okay, how about you go downstairs and ask Val if she needs any help preparing food for this evening?”
Anna’s face lit up with a smile. “Sounds gr
eat. Thanks a ton.” She pointed at the skull. “You want me to take this downstairs?”
“Sure thing,” Belle forced a smile as she watched her sister grab the item and disappear down the hall.
She was glad to be alone again with nothing but the sound of trickling rain outside. She hoped that Anna wouldn’t end up hovering all the time while she tried to work. Turning back to the computer, she started sifting through the list of movies to pick a different one for the evening.
* * *
Anna couldn’t stand feeling useless. Not having a job or going to classes, even for the last couple of days, was driving her nuts. She had always been the responsible one, the busy one, the one with the healthy work ethic.
Now, however, her sister was the one who was busy all day with work. Making hot sauce, fixing the projector, picking the movies, cleaning things up, running a business like she was born to it. She was proud of Belle but also jealous of her as well. She’d made her ridiculous and unrealistic dream come true, while Anna’s sensible ambitions had fallen out from under her.
Shaking her head, she tried not to think about it and walked through the kitchen door. She needed to stay busy, and she couldn’t let her own failures get her down.
“Oh, hi, honey,” Valerie greeted her while she bent over one of the deep fryers. The back panel was taken off and some wires were hanging out.
“Is that broken?”
“It stopped working last night, so I asked Benny and Hank to have a look at it while they were here. Said they’d need to pick up a new part for it and finish fixing it tomorrow.”
“Sure seems like they do a lot around here.”
“Well, Benny is actually sort of our grunt guy.”
“Oh, I thought he was like a maintenance man for hire.”
“Naw, he’s our exclusive handyman. Unfortunately, things got to be a little too much for him after his wife passed on.”
“Oh no,” Anna gasped. “His wife passed away?”
“Yes, about six months ago. He keeps a good attitude on him, but we all know it was really hard. So, Belle let him pick an assistant to hire and help with things.”
Sisterly Screams (The Dead-End Drive-In Series Book 1) Page 3
