Tales from Dargo Island: The Complete Trilogy Read Online Free PDF Page B

even still work at the Movie Castle?”
    “I don’t know.
I asked my manager and he said, until the building is repaired, no one is
working there. I couldn’t wait.”
    “I see. Also,
this movie better be good or I’m gonna knock you out.”
    I chuckled. The
last comedy we saw—A Pig Named Panda—was awful, and Estevan constantly reminded
me of my poor movie choices. He always told me I wouldn’t know a good movie if
it bit me on the back of my neck. I don’t think I’d know what anything was if
it bit me on the back of the neck, but I’m not one to argue.
    I took a shower
and was on the freeway twenty minutes later. I parked in front of the theater,
located next to a mall, and walked up the large steps to the entrance. I saw
Estevan standing at a ticket kiosk, scratching his head.
    “Can’t figure
out the machine?” I asked.
    “I gave it a
try. I’m gonna stick with the human ticket sellers. How would you feel if a
machine took your job?”
    I debated
telling him I had the same job his grandfather died trying to get. I just
couldn’t do it, though.
    After the
movie, which was great in my opinion, we went to Great Price and bought a
couple of cheap CDs and then grabbed a bite at a Chinese restaurant. I returned
home and took a quick nap before heading to work.
    Of course, I
had trouble sleeping. I was nervous about my first solo shift. As it turned
out, I had good reason to be.

Chapter 8: First Night
     
     
    Since I
showered earlier, I got to leave the house later than I usually would. I tossed
on my uniform and drove to Dallas. I was the only one on the rail, but since
the trip was only “five minutes,” it wasn’t a big deal.
    Helen was
waiting for me, though her shift ended ten minutes before. She said she waited
because she wanted to see me again. She was pretty, a few years older than me,
and nice. I wasn’t looking to date at the moment, though.
    She dropped me
off at the gatehouse and returned to the station. Virgil told me the day was
quiet, and that there was nothing to pass on.
    He then wished
me luck before leaving. I was alone.
    I sat at the
desk, checking the monitors. The sun was down, but the gatehouse had perimeter
lights. The Village had streetlamps, but the land in front of me had only the
moon to light it. I could see the silhouette of the mountain and hill, but that
was it. If someone tried to sneak up on me, I wouldn’t know it until the last
minute.
    There was
amazingly little to do. We had cable, so I watched shows and movies. I heard
strange noises inside the gatehouse every now and then but every time I
investigated, I found nothing.
    After four
hours, I grew more comfortable. And tired. I wasn’t used to being up this late.
I may or may not have dozed off a few times, so I got up and walked around. Of
course, I made the mistake of sitting down again. I drank a lot of water, which
made me have to go to the bathroom often.
    It was around
two in the morning when I saw her.
    I jumped from
my chair when I caught her on the monitor. She was coming up the street, from
the Village, and though I’d never met her before I immediately knew who she
was.
    I opened the
door and poked my head out. “Ms. Albright?”
    She stopped in
place and stared at me. Astrid Albright is indeed around my age, with short red
hair and green eyes. She was wearing a blue dress, which seemed a little tight
on her curvy body. She was eye-catching.
    She looked
startled, like she hadn’t expected to be caught.
    “Where’s Mark?”
she asked.
    I guessed Mark
was the guy I replaced. “I don’t know. No one told me. I’m new; tonight’s my
first shift.”
    She nodded. “I
used to come up here to talk with Mark, keep him company.”
    “Oh. That’s
nice of you.” I didn’t know what else to say. “I think I’m his permanent
replacement.”
    She didn’t seem
to like that news, but she accepted it. “Is Mark all right?”
    I shrugged,
remembering that Rockne told me he “vanished.” “Was he okay