The Multiplex

“Where are you going?” They asked him

“To the toilet”

“Kyon? Phat gayi kya?” (Why? scarred?) They started laughing

“Don’t be stupid. Its just a movie” He appeared brave. On the screen, the ghost claimed another victim.

“Too much gory, too much blood”

“You are scarred!” They started laughing again

“Its disgusting than being scary” He protested “I really need to go guys!”

“Shall we come or will you feel scarred?” They were still laughing

He did not reply. They knew how scarred he was watching horror movies. He should not have come here at all. He just made a fool of himself

“Hey! Should we come? darpok kahi ka? (Afraid)” They started laughing. He managed a dry smile and started toward the rest room.

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He entered the toilet and like all Multiplex toilets, this was sparkling clean and surprisingly empty. There was nobody else in the toilet. It was already very late and it was one of the last shows. He shouldn’t have drunk so much cola.

The toilets were programmed to flush water after every few minutes. Every few minutes, the water would flush down some or the other toilet.

“Modern technology!” He thought.

The noise of the flushing toilet broke the silence of the toilet. It was like the toilet had a life of their own and it was breathing, in the perfect rhythm.

When you got to go, you got to go but when you are there, it just does not happen, never. You stand there, waiting to find relief and nothing.

The perfect rhythm was broken by a strange sound.

“What was that? Is there somebody else in the toilet?” He thought. He had not seen anybody and he had been there for a while. Suddenly a fear gripped him, the fear of the unknown. He felt he was not alone there. Somebody, something was there with him. Was there really somebody or was his mind playing games with him. It must be the movie.

“That sound again” He looked around. He just wanted to finish and get back to the hall. Suddenly the horror movie playing in the hall was not as scary as the empty toilet. The fear was too much and he just couldn’t finish.

Suddenly the toilet door opened and in came two figures with faces that made his blood run cold. He had never seen such scary, horrible faces in his life. His body stiffened in the fear, not able to scream or do anything.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest and the next moment the only thing he could see was darkness. The faces, those horrible, scary faces, that was the last thing he saw, the very last thing.

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“Who is he?” The first person removed the mask

“Shit!” The second person removed the mask too

“Where is he?” There was fear in his voice

“Look around. Check all the door”

They checked all the doors but their friend was not to be found. On the floor of the toilet laid a middle aged man, his body lifeless

The first person touched the man and tried to find any sign of life in him. He got up with horror on his face

“He..He…He is dead”

“Shit! Lets get out of here!” The second one suggested

“But…. We cannot leave him like that”

“We cannot explain the masks. Lets get out of here” He just grabbed his friends hand and rushed out of the toilet.

The dead man still laid on the floor, dead.

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“Popcorn?” He offered the packet to his friends “What happened guys? It looks like you seen a dead man?”

He laughed at his own little joke

“Come on! it is just a movie. You are not scarred, are you?” He was still laughing

Both of them looked at him. They had really seen a dead man.

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Note: The story is inspired by “City” multiplex in Amsterdam. The multiplex is in Leidsepleinand even though being a busy area is surprisingly empty many times. It has multiple floors. The stairways and the toilets are empty, especially during the late night shows. The noise of the water in the toilet gives it a scary feeling. An attempt in horror after a long time.

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