MY MOVIES

NIGHTMARES AND HORROR

(Gerald's House)

As I arrived at Gerald's house, his mom greeted me with concern etched on her face. "He's been holed up in his room since he got back. I don't know what's wrong with him." I nodded sympathetically and made my way to his door. A fleeting thought crossed my mind: "What if I walk in and he attacks me?" I shook it off and entered.

Gerald was buried under his duvet, too scared to emerge. I sat beside him on the edge of the bed, and he suddenly reached out, screaming, "Nooo, don't kill me!" I quickly reassured him, "Calm down, man. It's me, Scott, your best friend."

Gerald's mom poked her head in, worried. "Is everything alright in there?" I called out, "Yes, ma'am, everything's okay."

Gerald's eyes were wild with fear. "A ghost," he whispered. "Ghost?" I repeated, scanning the room. "They're coming for me," he said, tears streaming down his face. I'd never seen Gerald this scared, not since he was 7. He was always the strong one.

I tried to reassure him, "There are no ghosts. It's just me and you here." Gerald stood up, desperate, and hugged me tightly. "Please don't leave," he begged. "I won't, buddy. I won't," I promised, hugging him back.

As we pulled back, I joked, "Guess I'm staying over tonight, huh?" Gerald managed a weak smile, and for a moment, things felt a little better. But the fear still lingered, and I knew we had to face it head-on.

Chapter 4 - Christmas

Christmas Day arrived, and I couldn't help but think about Gerald. It had been weeks since his strange behavior after watching "Thirteen Ghosts." He'd grown out of it quickly, but I still remembered the fear in his eyes. I decided to let go of the past and focus on the present.

Gerald and I were more than just friends – we were like brothers. We did almost everything together, from watching movies to exploring the city. Today, we'd planned a trip to the beach, and I was excited to see Gerald in his element. As we arrived, the sound of the waves and the smell of saltwater filled the air. Gerald, being the avid swimmer he was, couldn't wait to dive in.

I, on the other hand, was a bit more cautious. The waves terrified me, and I stuck to dry land, watching Gerald with a mixture of admiration and relief. "Come on, dude, don't be scared!" he called out, his voice carrying over the waves. I stood a safe distance away, shaking my head.

"I'm good," I said, trying to sound convincing. Gerald raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you, are you scared?"

I grinned mischievously. "I just want to watch you swim, man. I love it when you swim. Swim, man!" Gerald chuckled and splashed into the water, his strokes confident and strong. I watched, feeling a mix of admiration and gratitude for my friend's enthusiasm.

As I watched Gerald swim, I realized that some things never change – our friendship, our banter, and our adventures. And that's something to be grateful for on Christmas Day. The sun shone bright, the waves crashed against the shore, and Gerald's laughter echoed through the air. It was a perfect day, and I was grateful to share it with my best friend.

We spent the rest of the day soaking up the sun, building Sandcastles, and enjoying each other's company. As the sun began to set, we decided to take a walk along the shore, watching the waves roll in.

The breeze carried the sound of seagulls, and the smell of saltwater filled the air. It was moments like these that cherished - just me and Gerald, enjoying life's simple pleasures.

As we walked, Gerald turned to me and said, "You know, I'm glad we're friends, Scott. You're always there for me, even when I'm being weird."

I smiled, feeling a warmth in my chest. "Dude, that's what friends are for. Besides, you're not weird - you're just... enthusiastically horror -movie-loving."

Gerald laughed, and we continued our stroll, enjoying the peacefulness of the ocean and each other's company.

The Christmas festivities had come to an end, and Gerald and I had truly enjoyed our time together. As I reflected on the fun we'd had, I couldn't help but smile. Now, it was time to shift my focus to something else – my mum. I bet everyone will be happy to hear about my mum; it's been a while since I last mentioned her in the story.

"Mom," I called out to her, my voice filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Sweetheart," she responded, her tone warm and inviting.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to phrase my request. "Mom, I...," I began, my voice shaking slightly. But before I could finish, she cut in with a knowing smile. "I know what you want."

I wondered if she could read my mind. How did she know I was thinking about asking for pocket money? "Do you need a kiss?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement. I made a face, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Ewww, Mom, no!" I protested, trying to play it cool. I was almost 14, after all.

Mom chuckled and asked, "What do you need then, sweetheart?" I took a deep breath and asked, "Can I have some pocket money?" She hesitated, reminding me, "I said you'd get some when you're 14." I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes, trying to persuade her. "But Mom, I'll be 14 in a few months, and I really need it for something special."

Mom smiled and handed me some cash from her purse. "Alright, son." My eyes widened as I took the money – dollars! I felt like a rich kid, excitement bubbling up inside me. "Thanks, Mom!" I exclaimed, already thinking about how I'd save it for New Year's.

Chapter 5: New Year

Gerald and I had earned a decent amount of money during the Christmas season. He'd made more than me, thanks to his older siblings who tipped him generously for every task he completed. As I pondered how to spend my savings, I remembered Gerald's knack for planning and budgeting. He always knew how to make the most of our money, especially when it came to movies.

"I saw a movie, and I want to get it," Gerald said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. I knew we didn't have a mobile phone, we were old-school, so no streaming for us - so we'd have to rely on DVDs for our movie nights. Gerald ended up buying a few disks with his earnings, while I stocked up on snacks and other essentials to make our movie nights more enjoyable.

"Oh God, I've missed this," I muttered to myself as we settled in at Gerald's house. Watching movies had always been our thing, and we couldn't get enough of it. This time, Gerald had picked "The Exorcist." I couldn't wait to see how scary it was.

As the movie played, Gerald moved closer to me, whispering, "It's scary." But I was engrossed, my eyes fixed on the screen. Despite the horror elements, I found myself enjoying it, just like I always did. There's something about horror movies that draws you in, making you want to see what's next.

As the movie continued, Gerald dozed off, leaving me to watch alone. The film was indeed scary, much like "Thirteen Ghosts," but this time, I felt like I'd developed a tolerance for the horror. Maybe it was because I'd been "poisoned" by watching too many scary movies, but I wasn't scared like I used to be.

Just as I was having these thoughts, Gerald woke up, and we continued watching the movie together. That night was different; the horror didn't scare us like it used to. We felt like we were the demons ourselves, immune to the fear that once gripped us.

After the movie ended, we went to bed, exhausted. The next morning, we woke up simultaneously, staring into each other's eyes, wondering who would c***k first. "You alright, buddy?" I asked, breaking the silence. Gerald replied with a smile, "I'm okay, man." We both burst into laughter, relieved that we'd made it through the night without any nightmares.

It was like we'd grown up, becoming strong enough to watch horror movies without fear. We decided to set up a movie night show with the little money we had left, excited to share our passion with others. And our slogan was born : "movie Mayhem with Scott and Gerald - where the horror is real, but the snacks are realer!"

We were unstoppable, dude! Our movie nights became the talk of the town, and people came from far and wide to experience the thrill. And we were just getting started...

"We're the movie partners dude," I said to Gerald. We high-fived, and we both laughed as the crowd went wild (okay, maybe it was just our imaginations, but still).

The end.