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Chapter Eleven:  … SO WE DON’T GET SEPARATED.


“Let’s go to the theater.” Justin says out of nowhere, he quickly peck a kiss onto Brian’s lips and stands up. 

“You tell me now? We were in the city like forty minutes ago.” Brian replies, still holding onto Justin’s hand. 

“Then we can just go to the theater in Kingsbridge.” Justin says, and pulls Brian up to his feet.

“Kingsbridge?” Brian lazily walks to Justin and they amble to the car.

“It’s across that bridge over there.” Justin points, across the road, to a long-looking bridge lost between trees and thorn bushes. They walk across the concrete road and step onto the bridge’s cracking planks. They cautiously walk through the forest to a small little town. It’s looking rather mysterious; the store’s walls are broken-down with paint peeling off. Everything’s dark and few dimmed lampposts light the street like spotlights. Brian parks the car in front of a restaurant, making sure he locks the doors, and they walk along the sidewalk, side by side. They watch the people walking by them; they’re all wearing dark, unclean and dirty clothes like street people. Their expressions are sad and morbid, as they look straight forward. Brian anxiously follows Justin to the theater, trying not to touch anything or anyone. 

Quickly, Brian forcefully grabs Justin’s hand in a reflex action and discretely pulls him closer by his side, as he sees a man walking a little too close to Justin, with a large knife in his right hand.

“That guy had a knife in his hand.” Brian says keeping his tone casual, and still holding Justin’s hand tightly. 

He looks just behind him.

“Where the fuck did you bring me?” Brian asks Justin, pursing his lips and swallowing hard.

“Don’t worry, we’re near the theater.” Justin says quietly.

Justin turns around the corner, holding Brian’s hand as he follows behind. He opens a door with golden handles and they step inside on a large red carpet. Straight in front of them, there’s a large stairway going downwards. There’s no ticket booth, or other doors. The whole theater looks like a luxury, antique-filled, dusty, old-fashioned cinema. A long red carpet starts from the entrance door to the bottom of the stairs. Justin takes hold of Brian’s hand, gives a gentle yank in this direction, and they step down the secretive, dim stairway.

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