It was a midnight show of an Adam Sandler comedy. So dumb, we all started calling out our own jokes. We were just about the only ones in the theater, so it really didn’t matter.
Shark was doing a very good imitation of Adam Sandler. He even got up and did a funny walk up and down the aisle. We were hooting and laughing. And then someone sitting in the back complained. And a skinny little guy in a red blazer, who looked about twelve and had a high, cracking voice, came and told us we’d have to leave if we didn’t chill.
So we quieted down, although we couldn’t stop giggling. And then Clark spilled all the change from his pocket. It clattered over the floor. And we started laughing and goofing all over again.
I slid down in my chair and raised my knees to the seat in front of me. Adam Sandler was chasing after Drew Barrymore, and I thought, whoa, he looks a lot like Lewis. Except Lewis is not so geeky-looking.
Shark was still imitating Adam Sandler. Nikki shoved him, pleading with him to stop. Dana and Clark had their arms around each other and were lip-locked, totally ignoring the movie.
I suddenly felt drowsy. It had been a long day. I had a very long Chem test in the morning. After school, I had to take care of my little brother Danny and make him dinner. Taking care of Danny can make anyone tired. He’s like a tornado or something. He actually bounces off the walls!
So I started feeling tired. I guess my eyes closed. I wasn’t really following the film. Maybe I dozed off for a few minutes. I’m not sure.
When I opened my eyes, it took a while for the screen to come into focus. Drew Barrymore had been a blonde in this movie. Why did she suddenly have dark hair?
I gasped when I recognized the face. Not Drew Barrymore’s face. My face.
Yes, I saw myself on the screen.
Blinking hard, I lowered my legs and pulled myself up straight. I felt a cold tingle at the back of my neck. Squinting hard, I watched Lewis walk onto the movie screen. He was wearing Adam Sandler’s jeans and red-checked shirt. But it was definitely Lewis, and he had a very frightened expression on his face.
I raised my hands to my cheeks and stared as another figure walked into the scene. A woman. I didn’t recognize her at first.
On the screen, my expression changed. My eyes bulged in fear. I watched Lewis grab my hand. The woman turned. Angelica Fear! I recognized her cold, clear eyes, her high cheekbones, the cruel, thin-lipped smile on her pretty face.
She appeared solid at first, but then she faded until I could see through her. Transparent now, like a movie ghost.
On-screen, she floated over me. My hands flew up to protect myself. I watched myself stumble back against the wall. Where were we? A house I didn’t recognize.
Staring in horror at the movie screen, I knew what Angelica was doing. She was trying to possess me again. She floated over me, then started to lower herself.
In the movie scene, Lewis uttered a cry. He grabbed for her waist with both hands to try to pull her away from me. But his hands shot through her transparent body. He grabbed only air.
On-screen, I tried to run, but she held me in place. I saw her dropping into me, her legs disappearing first. Sliding . . . sliding down until her waist poked down into my head and we appeared like some kind of terrifying conjoined twins.
Angelica was possessing me again, and I couldn’t escape.
I watched Lewis leaping high, grabbing at her. Grabbing at nothing as she slid lower, lower into my body.
As I stared at the screen, I gripped the chair in front of me, gripped it tightly until my hands ached.
And I watched Angelica Fear disappear inside my body. I watched the terrifying scene on the huge screen in front of me, and my whole body shook as if jolted in an earthquake.
Without even realizing it, I stood up—and opened my mouth in an ear-shattering scream of horror.