HE could never imagine he would be chosen for this bizarre g a m e … t o watch a horror film in an auditorium …alone…
Joshua ruefully wondered exactly what made him opt for an undercover society in college called the Czars of Babylon, in spite of being an active member in other sensible societies like theatre and western music. He decided it was his immeasurable curiosity and a quest for something really off-the wall that drove him to sign that cursed membership form.
Now by virtue of being a full-fledged member, he was obliged to undertake certain tasks, which would establish the fearlessness of every Apollyon, the name by which every member of the club was addressed.
Even though Joshua didn’t give two hoots for proving his intrepidness, he would still have to bear the formidable wrath of the living nightmare, Holly Hubber, the society president, if he refused to comply.
He now weighed his options, “Almost every escape door is tightly bolted. I really have no choice.” Reluctantly, he resolved to take the plunge. HE vaguely reasoned that even if this inane task led to his untimely demise, he would at least acquire his riddance from this blasted society for all times to come.
And so on a grey overcast Sunday afternoon, he was quietly ushered into the society auditorium.
Joshua’s throat was dry and he made futile efforts to steady his trembling feet. At the far end of the auditorium, Joshua perceived a lone figure waving at him. It was Holly Hubber directing Joshua to be seated.
Even in this dimly lit auditorium, Joshua could faintly discern the jeering smirk on Hubber’s face. Joshua was turning paler by the minute. Eventually the movie started and Hubber disappeared into the darkness. Joshua tightly held on to his seat.
The movie was curiously titled ‘All Fools, but the Fool’. It gradually progressed from creating an atmosphere of eeriness to the grotesque. The plot revolved round a circus joker being possessed by the spirit of a slain transgender seeking revenge.
Holly Hubber was lurking on the fringes, unseen by Joshua, waiting for him to shriek in terror like previous scapegoats. But to her utter astonishment, Joshua was smiling away all throughout the movie in admiring wonder and did not betray the slightest trace of fear.
After the movie ended, Hubber accosted Joshua and inquired in a thundering tone, “You bum bailey, what was so funny?”
Joshua serenely replied, “Well, the movie was a videotaped version of a play we performed on Halloween’ s eve last year and guess what, I played the joker!”
It was Hubber’s turn to feel weak in the knees and stare blankly at the retreating figure of Joshua.
By Neha Jain Times Of India, Kolkata