Midnight Movie Club Ch. 08

X X X X X

Despite the hooting and hollering of the surrounding inmates, the young man kept calling out to Michael. "Say something, Michael." He shook the ratty, tattered, cracked mask in one hand, all but demanding the serial killer turn to face him. Instead, the camera kept on Michael's back as the hulking figure stood motionless, facing away from the young man. As a guard dog began to bark and the institute's alarm began to wail, the young man screamed, thrusting the mask towards Michael. "SAY SOMETHING!"

Even before the young man's demand faded away, the scene quickly dropped into the title card - HALLOWEEN in bright orange letters. The opening credits to the movie were almost identical to those of the original movie, with the famous score playing as the cast was introduced with the same orange font. All that was missing was the slow zoom-in on a lit jack-o-lantern. Instead, the credits opened with a decayed pumpkin, collapsed upon itself from time and exposure to the elements. While the credits rolled, the pumpkin slowly began to recompose itself, inflating like a balloon. The rot fell away, replaced by the firm outer shell, and eventually, a brilliant yellow glow emanated from inside the pumpkin as it finished its transformation into a carved jack-o-lantern. The shot fell dark, leaving only the glowing outlines of the pumpkin's eyes and nose, before cutting to the now familiar words - "HADDONFIELD, ILLINOIS."

The opening credits had always struck Julie as a mission statement, a visual representation of the filmmaker's desire to breathe new life into a moribund franchise. As the story of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, forever intertwined due to one fateful night forty years earlier, unfolded on-screen, she settled back against the couch, getting comfortable and preparing to enjoy the film in the company of her new acquaintances.

X X X X X

"So he's dead, right?" As the closing credits began to roll, Lynn turned to look at Julie. "Like, that's it. Michael Myers is dead, he's not coming back, this was the final movie?" She made a definite gesture with her hands for emphasis, but at the sight of Julie's sheepish grin, Lynn threw her hands into the air. "Oh come on, seriously?!?"

Julie could only shrug. "This movie is the first in a planned trilogy, however, the third movie is titled Halloween Ends if that quells your frustrations."

"I'm not frustrated," laughed Lynn. "Michael's in his 60's, he's been shot, stabbed, hit with a car, trapped in a gas-filled basement, lit on fire, and left inside a house that's completely engulfed in flame! How are they going to make a sequel after that?"

"Put an ambulance driver behind the mask and pretend it's still Michael?" After a moment Brian shook his head. "No, that's been done."

"And done poorly." With that, Julie got to her feet. "So," she asked the gathered students, "what did people think of the movie?"

"Hey, I'm sorry, Julie." Gwen was also getting to her feet as she spoke. "I'd love to talk about the movie, but it's pushing midnight and I'm running on empty after midterms. I'm gonna head back to my room and crash out if that's OK?"

Of course," answered Julie. "I would enjoy for people to stay and discuss the movie, however, this is the end of a very long week for all of us. Please, all of you, do not feel obligated to hang around."

After a moment's silence, Brian groaned. "Yeah," he proclaimed. After standing up he put his hands on his hips and stretched out his lower back. "Tonight was a blast, but I'm about to crash out too and would prefer it happen in my bed instead of outside on the lawn. Throw me an invite though the next time you guys set up one of these double features."

Brian and Gwen were the catalysts for the splintering of the group as Cole, Beatrix, Karen, and Eleanor politely followed their lead in the next few moments. "I'm tapping out as well Julie," Alexander said from his spot on the floor. "I've spent all day watching TV and I'm feeling the eyestrain."

"I understand entirely." Julie extended a hand to Alexander, pulling him up to his feet. "That your soccer team... sorry, soccer club.. .experienced a crushing defeat probably does not help matters either."

"Yeah." He wearily rubbed his face. "Playoff losses always hurt, but those two," he said, motioning towards Susan and Karen, "aren't going to let me forget about this one for a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if Beatrix joined in at some point too. But if the tables were turned I'd be talking just as much smack. That's just how we soccer fans are."

"Whatever makes your friendship dynamic work, as long as it's genuine friendship." Julie offered a supportive grin before heading over to where Alcide and Lynn were talking. "I suppose this is where we call it an evening then," she said to Alcide.

"Nah. I'm still good to go." He turned to look at Lynn and asked the slender redhead, "you still good to go?"

"Of course," Lynn playfully scoffed. "It's not even midnight. Far as I'm concerned, life begins at 3 AM."

Alcide tilted his head. "Nothing good ever happens after 3 AM."

"Good? Probably not. Fun? Maybe. Trouble?" Lynn waggled her eyebrows. "Definitely."

Standing nearby, Tricia raised her hand in the air before clearing her throat. She stood straight, her spine ramrod, as everyone turned to look at her. "Instead of staying here to talk about the movie, why don't we find a place to go for afters?"

"Afters," asked a confused Karen. "What's afters?"

"There's an ice cream and burger shop down the block from my church," Tricia explained, "and the owner is a member of our congregation. The high school youth group would go there after our Tuesday meetings and remain until closing time. We called it 'afters.'"

"I am all for that," Lynn said eagerly. "If we're gonna chill on a Saturday night I'd rather do it in a restaurant than in the basement of the student union. What's still open that isn't a bar?"

"You could always try Moonbeam's," suggested Eleanor, "that coffee place up by the bait shop just north of campus. I went there a couple of times in high school. They've got a liquor license so they're open until 2 AM."

"Can confirm," Cole chimed. "Played there twice or once during open mic night. Best part is since it's a coffee shop don't get inebriated idiots pouring in because they're still drinking at the bars. Whole place is laid back and super chill."

The next few minutes were spent divvying up the remaining snacks and drinks among the students while Susan, Karen, and Beatrix moved the furniture back to its original position, finishing with the now-empty refreshment table. Hugs, well-wishes, and 'nice to meet yous' were exchanged as people slowly departed. Eventually, Julie was left with Alcide, Lynn, Tricia, and to her surprise, Piper. The quintet gathered up their coats and headed out, with Lynn hitting the lights before closing the lounge door behind her.

X X X X X

Gwen motioned over her shoulder towards the edifice of Loyall Hall at the top of the steps. "Would you like to hang out for a bit, Cole? I'm in the mood to listen to some music and would enjoy your opinion."

"Unexpectedly offered invitation excitedly accepted," Cole answered. "As long as Karen's cool with a strange man in her dorm room."

"You're the very definition of a strange man," Karen smiled, "and you're always welcome in our room. I'm gonna walk Susan and Alexander back to their dorm so you guys can get situated."

"Sounds good." Turning towards Susan, Cole's fingers were engulfed by hers as the pair shook hands. "Pleased to meet you, Susan. Catch you around campus." With that, Cole followed Gwen up the steps.

Karen smirked as the pair walked inside the dorm. "Looks like I'm going to need a place to sleep tonight. Is it OK if I crash with you, Alexander?" After a moment, Alexander nodded in agreement.

Susan gestured towards the dorm. "You think your roommate and that Cole guy are gonna hook up? I thought Gwen was a goody-two-shoes preacher's daughter."

Both Karen and Alexander laughed at Susan's inquiry, causing the look of confusion on her face to further deepen. "Preacher's daughter, yes," Karen explained as they began walking towards McMaster Hall. "Goody-two shoes, no way. Gwen's an actual Christian who walks the walk but the first time Cole and I met was when we were dragging her ninety pounds of dead weight back to our room because she got hammered. Girl found her tolerance quick though. I've already seen her drink a trio of frat boys under and over the table. Plus, she and Cole have hooked up before. I'm guessing she wants to partake of his body again." Stepping behind Alexander, Karen threw her arms over his shoulders. "And Cole's not the only boy who's been on his knees before Gwen so far. Isn't that right, Alexander?"

With the cat out of the bag, all Alexander could do was offer a casual shrug. "I was simply in the right place at the proper time. Gwen was looking to relieve some of her midterm stress and I happened to be present."

"Oh, and full disclosure?" Karen put her chin on Alexander's shoulder. "Alexander and I have also slept together. He had victory sex with me the night Seattle beat RSL in the playoffs." She playfully pecked him on the cheek. "It was almost worth taking the L."

Susan tilted her head. "Victory sex?"

"Your team beats my team, you can do whatever you want to me within reason."

Susan's resulting laugh echoed across the rain-soaked quad as she ran her hands through her wavy brown hair. "So I'm guessing what you and Alexander are doing tonight won't be victory sex?"

Alexander lightly scratched the side of his neck while avoiding eye contact with Susan, a gesture that made Karen laugh. "That's up to him," she teased.

"At this particular moment, you are spending the night," he answered. "I'm not assuming anything else will happen between us until being asked, shown, or proven otherwise."

"Sometimes Alexander, I don't know if you're naive or a gentleman."

"Why can't I be both?"

"He's got a point," said Susan. "Just because you're sleeping IN someone's room doesn't automatically mean you're going to sleep WITH them."

Karen let go of Alexander. "That's fair. So what are your plans for when you get back to your room," she asked Susan.

"Stay up and read my new book. I'm not tired yet."

"Oh?" Alexander motioned between him and Karen. "You want to come along with us and hang out for a bit in my room?"

Susan glanced down at him for a moment, then over at Karen, and then finally back at him. "No thanks," she said. "I'd feel like a third wheel. Even if you said I wasn't, I'd still feel like one. Plus, I've been shifting towards 'comfy pajamas' mode ever since the movie ended." By now the trio had reached the front door to McMaster Hall. "Unless," Susan called over her shoulder, "you're propositioning me for a threesome with you and Karen."

Alexander's foot hung in the air briefly as Susan's question gave his brain a momentary case of mental vapor lock. By the time his foot hit the next step, the vapor lock had been broken by a jumbled tidal wave of erotic imagery. Despite his best efforts, he was overwhelmed by a deluge of tempting thoughts. "...I mean, if you're..." was all he was able to offer at that moment.

"I'm kidding, Alexander." Susan's teasing smile was enough to break through the sultry feedback loop. "Good night you two."

Susan held her ID card against the reader and stepped into the dorm, leaving behind a recovering Alex and a giggling Karen. "Do you need me to stick a paperclip in your ear and give you a hard reset?" she offered.

Alexander looked like he was trying to pat the air on its head as he tried to form a complete sentence. "Sorry," he eventually said, technically fulfilling the grammatical criteria. "My brain went fuzzy for a moment."

"Don't apologize. The word 'threesome' always causes a short circuit with young men. Come on." She motioned towards the door. "I'm getting cold."

X X X X X

"Really though," Karen asked, "you're OK with me spending the night like this?"

"I believe it's a little late to say 'no,'" answered Alexander as he unlocked the door to his dorm room to reveal the darkened space beyond. "Seriously, it's OK. Besides, it would be rude of me to turn you away now. You're my friend after all, and I wasn't about to cockblock Cole and... and... cockblock Gwen..."

"Clitorference. The word you're looking for is clitorference."

Alexander's laugh echoed down the cinder block hallway. After Karen stepped inside his room, he followed her and hit the foyer's light before closing the door behind him. "It did come out of the blue," he admitted, "but you asked me first. If you hadn't asked me I would have still said yes, but I would have been upset."

Karen glanced back and forth between the two beds. "I'm guessing your bed's the one with the Sounders flag above it." After Alexander nodded, Karen hopped up onto the bed on the left side of the room in one fluid motion. "Why upset?" she asked.

Alexander turned on his bedside lamp before stepping back and turning off the overhead light in the foyer. "I have an issue with people using my things without asking, and that goes for..." He struggled for the right words. "...assuming my hospitality," he eventually said, "or volunteering me for something without checking first."

Karen pushed herself against the wall after first kicking off her shoes. "Let me guess," she said while she got comfortable, "you have a history of being walked on?"

"You could say that. But seriously, don't worry about tonight. You're fine."

"Alright. So am I going to sleep in your bed or Cole's?"

Alexander ran his hand along his scalp as he offered a soft chuckle. "I'm open to discussions and negotiations." Karen's response was to grab the bottom of her shirt and lift it, revealing firm breasts supported by a cream-colored bra. "That's... that's a solid opening argument. And closing argument."

Laughing, Karen pulled her shirt back down. "You would make a terrible shrink if cleavage is all it took to sway you."

"I'm an 18-year old red-blooded American male. You saw what the hypothetical scenario of a threesome did to me. Is this any of a surprise?"

"What's surprising is why you're standing over there and not on your bed kissing me right now. You didn't think I was just going to sleep over, did you?"

Alexander bent down to untie his tennis shoes. "I work under the pretense of 'platonic until proven otherwise.' There may come a day when you do need a place to sleep and the last thing you want is me pawing at you." He put his shoes to the side before climbing onto the bed. "So yeah, you..."

The rest of his sentence was lost when Karen reached out and grabbed the front of his Sounders jersey. The fabric balled up in her fist as she pulled Alexander towards her. He managed to find his balance just before Karen's lips pressed against his. Her tongue followed suit, briefly slipping into his mouth before pulling back as Alexander began returning her kiss. The two young adults made out for several moments before Karen broke away. "Alexander," she whispered.

"Mmm-hmm?"

"You should go take a shower."

He opened his eyes at Karen's remark. "Huh?"

"Between sitting in a restaurant watching soccer for several hours and then watching a movie," she explained, "you've got a bit of a funk going on." With that, Karen lifted her arm and gave herself a sniff. "And I'm coming off a bit ripe myself."

"Aren't we about to get all hot and sweaty in a few minutes anyway?"

"Only if we're doing it right." Karen put on a sweet smile as she caressed Alexander's cheek. "I'm probably going to go down on you at some point and if your crotch smells like a sweaty gym sock you're not going to get my A-game." She punctuated her statement with a brief yet firm kiss. "And you want my A-game."

Alexander's eyes remained closed as he slowly nodded. "I most definitely want your A-game."

"And I'll go find the girls' room and do my best to freshen up. Fair's fair." Karen pushed forward from the wall, forcing Alexander to climb back from the bed. "I'm not asking for a full shower, just a good solid rinse. I don't want your skin to taste like Old Spice body wash."

"I actually use Nivea." Alexander gestured towards the top of the doorway. "If you go one floor up there's a women's bathroom right opposite the stairway. Want my room key?"

Karen shook her head. "I'll be fine. And don't rush. I promise I'm not going to wander off and leave you high and dry." She batted her eyes at him. "I'd much rather have you low and slightly damp." After a moment, she shot him a chagrined look. "That sounded a LOT better in my head."

X X X X X

"Yeah," Alcide remarked as he leaned back in his chair, "this place is chill."

Tricia took a look around before nodding. "I'm not one for the ambiance and decor, however, I can see how Eleanor might find this aesthetic relaxing."

"This is the kind of establishment I could see her hanging out in," Julie admitted.

The name "Moonbeam's" conjured up images of New Age string music, power crystals hanging from the ceiling, and the strong smell of incense. The incense was prevalent, but the decorations and furniture went beyond '70s New Age. If it wasn't for the environmentally friendly lighting and blue recycling container, Moonbeam's would have been a near-perfect pastiche of '60s counterculture. The walls were painted a variety of bright, vibrant colors in twisting spiral patterns, as were the tabletops. The ceiling was plastered with old concert advertisements and weathered protest signs. Even the server behind the counter, an older woman in hippie garb with a wrinkled face and a bright, optimistic smile, seemed out of place in modern-day Idaho.

The chairs were the kind one might find in a living room or a library reading room, with armrests and thick cushions. Julie, Piper, and Tricia occupied chairs while Alcide and Lynn had grabbed the two-seater against the wall. All five held their caffeinated beverage of choice - black coffee for Julie and Alcide, tea for Lynn and Tricia, and an iced mocha for Piper. After Julie took a sip of her coffee, she asked, "Did everyone enjoy themselves this evening?"

Piper offered a nod, while Tricia answered with a slight incline of her head. "I had fun," said Lynn. "I haven't seen that many horror movies and the ones I have seen sucked. The first movie was really good, and the sequel was good too. Not as good as the first, but still good."

"I had a great time." The way Alcide lounged on the two-seater, loosely sprawled out along his side, reminded Julie of the way Cole had been casually sitting when she had first met him during orientation. "It was nice to sit and interact with people while watching a movie. Don't get me wrong, I love the Farragut Film Society. I've already seen a bunch of classic movies I never would have found on my own. But if you chuckle at the wrong part of a movie you get stared at."

"Jaxon does run a tight ship. But I've found our discussions afterward to be constructive and engaging. And he does ensure everyone has a chance to be heard without ridicule. That is a rarity nowadays." Julie smiled at Tricia. "What did you think of the second movie?"

"It was more in line with what I expected from the first one," she answered. "It was bloodier, it had a higher level of brutality, and I found it more disturbing. The actresses in the first ones that Michael killed, obviously weren't high school age. They were spot on in acting like high school students, but the victims in the second movie resonated more with me as a young adult. They looked like us, talked like us, and acted like the people I attended high school with. That's what is currently sticking with me. Should I have nightmares about Michael Myers, the similarities between his victims and myself would be the catalyst."