The lights dimmed noticably as the screen went black. The only sound heard was the rustle of half empty popcorn bags and and boxes of uneaten candy. The last few stragglers pinpointed their seats as the atmosphere slowly dropped into focus.
The screen then began to light up as it became the sole center of attention.
And that's when you heard the bang. The seats quaked as the screen began to fizzle and distort. Popcorn was dropped as you slowly register the source of the weird light from behind you.
Fire, the projection room was on fire.
Snapping to attention, you bolt out of your seat and soon begin to look for the nearest exit you came in from. You then see a trail of movie-goers in front of it, crowded around but not moving out of the exit. A bad sign.
Slowly approching the end of the line as you peer around and above the mass of people, you see that the exit has been blocked by what looks to be a metal beam that conveniently dropped in front of the door. The people in front of you are screaming and pushing to get out and only then do you realize that you are hyperventilating. You notice that the temperature has suddenly increased as well as the humidity, slowly focusing on your breathing you begin to notice the distortions and static in the edge of your vision. Weird lights and head pains begin to emerge as you feel your body bloat and get very hot.
You close your eyes as you pray that this is just a dream. Light causes you to open them once again as a bright supernova spins it's way in toward you. A little ball of light slowly materializes in front of you as it brightens to fill your vision. Slowly words appear above it, floating in air. They read "Begin Player One".
Suddenly, you have the urge to touch the flourescent ball of light as you become entranced with it's color. Your hand is drawn to the thing with the curiousity of it's texture and substance. Drawing nearer the ball begins to pulse slightly with increasing fervor as it follows a staccato rythm.
As your fingers make contact with the ball you feel cold on the tips of your fingers. The sensation spreads as the light slowly begins to envelop your arm, down to your torso and the rest of your limbs. The cold sensation spreads with it, as does a feeling of numbness and serenity. Finally, your vision goes black as you begin to once again feel your body.
Your eyes shoot open to a black screen, just as the credits begin to roll. Springing out of your seat, you look around and clench your fists with the urge to feel your surroundings and yourself as disorientation begins to wear off. You first scan your body, which looks normal in every sense of the word. Your eyes scan the seats and the exit in search of people panicking and screaming. All you find is people talking with their seat neighbors and family slowly exiting through the passage at the side of the theatre.
You rise slowly once again from your cushioned seat as you peer your way into the projector room above the seating area, no fire to be seen. Walking with the flow of foot traffic, you approach the exit as you did before with hesitance but curiosity once again as you exit through the big double doors. Your heart rate begins to slow as you see the gaudy carpet mixed with a myriad of different colors and characters plastered on the walls of the hallway. The chatter of the bystanders calms you as you slowly compose yourself outside of the screen room. Glancing behind you you slowly gaze upward as you read the sign with the theatre number and movie name.
Your heart rate climbs once again as you read the movie's name:
Ready Player One.