The end of the week came and it was time again to hang out with Annie. We had decided a month ago to see a screening of the original Alien at the mall, since we'd always wanted to actually see it on a big screen in the dark.

I idled my car in her driveway and waited a few minutes until Annie came struggling her way out the front door, dressed in an impressive attire of a black dress, black lipstick, and a very chic wide-rim hat. Annie usually made no attempt to fashion herself as presentable, but when she did she certainly overcompensated for her casual uniform.

“Hey!” I greeted her with a sonorous tone.

“Hey.” She responded flatly.

We rolled out of her driveway and past the scenic farms and green meadows that spread across the road from South Amherst to Hadley. The afternoon sun beat down on the oven-like car.

“Hey, I’m really sorry about how I reacted the other night…” I said, being the one to break the silence.

“Oh, Don’t be.” Annie sighed. “I’m the one who tries to freak out my friends over bad dreams.”

“I… believe your dreams though. You know that…” I explained. “I really do believe you when you say you see ghosts and stuff. I would never dismiss your experience.”

“I know.” She said.

“I just have a different interpretation. That’s all.”

“Look, can we just drop it. Let’s just try to enjoy the movie.” Annie said.

We pulled up to the Hampshire Mall multiplex and got out. I waited to get popcorn while Annie went to the bathroom and then proceeded to wander around the lobby on her own. The energy between us felt weird, and I just hoped we would be in a better mood once we had the movie to focus on.

When I got back to Annie in the lobby, her eyes were transfixed on a giant cardboard cutout of the minions. I just stood there staring at her, trying to figure out what she was looking at.

“Who’d pay to see that piece of shit, huh?” I said, holding out Annie’s popcorn for her to take. "I mean, children I guess, obviously."

She didn’t notice me. She just continued to stare at the insipid cartoon cutout.

“Uhhh…”

Annie blinked a few times and spun her head to me my gaze with a furrowed expression. She blinked a few times and her eyes widened.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Oh, sorry, yeah!” she said taking the snacks from my hand.

We went to the theater and took our seats in the back of the highest row. The theater was almost empty besides us.

"So I've got some really good news." I whispered in Annie's ear.

"Oh. What?"

"The bank called, and they're going to help my mom refinance the loan on the house. So all that stuff's over."

Annie just stared at me in the darkness. "That's good I guess."

'That's good I guess!?' That's the most she can say!?

We sat in silence, transfixed on the first act as the crew explored the crashed alien ship, William Hurt was rushed out of the hall of alien eggs, and Ripley and Ash forbodingly argued over the ship's quarantine protocols.

"You know, it seems like at least since I did that ritual everything's gotten a little better around me." I whispered to my friend next to me during the lull. "Like, whatever it was really did work and

"Fine." Annie grunted.

"You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? A perfect organism. Its structural perfection matched only by its hostility." The dismembered android murmured, bleeding on the floor of the spaceship. "I can't lie to you about your chances, but... you have my sympathies."

Just then Annie tapped my shoulder and whispered “Can we leave?” in my ear.

"You wanna go now!?" I hissed, instantly feeling like a dick for making a big deal about it when we had already seen Alien a million times.

“Yeah. I guess. Just not feeling it.” She said.

We emptied out of the theater and into the lobby.

“Okay, well, do you want me to take you home?”

Annie again gazed up at that same diorama she had been looking at before the movie started.

“Yeah. Fine. Sure.”

We rode home for most of the trip in silence. I didn’t know what was wrong with Annie. Then I finally decided to try to break the ice again.

“Hey, I’ve got some other good news!" I said. "You know that guy I told you about from high school, Grant?”

“Um, yeah. I guess. You've mentioned him.”

“He asked me out on a date tomorrow!” I laughed to myself. "I'm actually pretty nervous about it."

“Oh. Um. Cool!” Annie said. “Why though?”

I laughed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why would he be interested in you now? It took him, like, ten years to notice you? Why are you wasting your time with somebody like that?”

"Well, maybe people are just starting to figuring out who I really am. Maybe it just took a nudge in the right direction." I said.

"You're so narcissistic." Annie said. "You can't even see what's happening right in front of you, and you can't even listen to your friend when they try to warn you."

"Okay, warn me about what!? Sorry, but what's so nefarious about finally getting what I want?"

Annie growled in frustration. "The whole time we were in there we were being watched by these things! They were hiding around the movie decorations, watching us."

I laughed. "Are you trying to tell me you saw ghosts haunting cartoon movie merchandise? That's what had you so freaked out?"

"Shut up!" Annie cried. "Just take me home!"

"Jesus." I muttered.

"Asshole." she said.

I pulled up once again to Annie's house and she opened the door and stepped out the moment I had come to a full a stop.

"I know you're not going to listen to me, but watch out for your own sake Silvana!" She barked before she slammed the side door and walked back inside her house.

After what I had found in the woods the other day I had some reason to be cautious, but so far I had no reason to regret my dealings with Frimost, and tomorrow I would see just how far I could push this envelope I'd had mailed to me from such a far off place.