That’s the Ticket! Pt. 5 (Final Episode)

That’s the Ticket! Pt. 1

That’s the Ticket! Pt. 2

That’s the Ticket! Pt. 3

That’s the Ticket! Pt. 4

Glenn was violently brought back to reality when someone tackled him. A few other valiant movie goers decided to jump onto the pile of bodies, probably seeking their own personal moment of heroism. Glenn felt like he was suffocating.

Despite an elbow smashing his face, he managed to say “He had a gun”

Someone close to him heard the words and cried for the mob to let up. The message spread slowly and Glenn felt a little relief. Then came confirmation, “Holy shit! Guy DID have a gun!” This informant had rolled the corpse over, exposing the firearm.

A few people in the mob offered apologies to Glenn. There were even a few shouts of “He’s a hero!” and “He saved our lives!”

Glenn’s mind went back to Heather. Surely she was somewhere in the menagerie of bodies. He even called out, “Heather!” A few Heathers even answered, but none where the one he was interested in.

The mall was shut down and a few people, including Glenn, were held for questioning about the event. Glenn sent off a few more messages to Heather, the last being –I hope you are safe-

As the police were wrapping up their investigation, their radios went crazy. A shooting had taken place at the Somerset Mall, across town. There were murmurs of it being a tandem crime. It happened at the movie theater at the same time the premier of the same film was about to be shown.

*          *          *          *          *

As Heather and her boyfriend filed into the screening room she took on last glance at her phone. “I hope you’re safe???” she read aloud. “Well that’s fucking creepy. I guess he figured out what happened and now he’s pissed”

“If that nerd-loser is threatening you, I’ll kick his …” her boyfriend’s words were cut short by screams. The crowd started to stampede. It quickly was made clear as to why. At first, the bursts of noises were thought to be fireworks going off, maybe even some pyrotechnics in honor of the big premier. Then the crowd grew wise and cries of “Gun!” rang out.

Heather got pushed over. She cried out to her boyfriend but he had already shoved his way through the crowd and was well ahead of her heading towards the exit. She first felt her legs and hands get trampled, then her torso. It became difficult to breathe. She couldn’t get up. She went into panic. She felt as if she was in the ocean and a wave had knocked her over and was holding her under water. After some excruciating time and a few unfortunate stomps, she cried the last tears of her short life.

Her boyfriend thought he was going to get out unscathed. Little did he know, he was pushing his way right towards the shooter. When he was confident he would finally escape, he came face to face with the deranged gunman. The man was expressionless. He uttered the words “pretty boy” before foiling the escape plans and claiming one more victim.

*          *          *          *          *

Glenn never spoke to Heather again. After a few days of trying to call and message her to no avail, he gave up. He fathomed that she must have been traumatized by the events at the theater and wanted to move on with her life. He still believed that their meeting was impeded by the averted tragedy. He had never learned of her fate. He shunned the news because he didn’t want to see his face anymore. He was considered a national hero and reluctantly did a media tour around the country. He only took up the offer as a way to see the country.

The pinnacle of Glenn’s rewards was a private screening of the movie he so dearly wanted to see. The whole cast showed up. It was a red carpet event. When the invitation was extended, he thought of asking Heather to accompany him. Although he decided against it, he did fantasize about walking the red carpet, hand in hand with her.

 

The End.

The Tragic Story of the Womapog Tribe

In 1951, deep in the wilds of the Adirondacks, in upstate New York, researchers made an almost miraculous discovery. Almost 50 years after the industrial revolution took place in the United States, an uncontacted tribe of indigenous people was observed for the first time. It would be last time a new indigenous people would be contacted in the country.

Immediately after discovery, a fierce debate arose. Over the course of two years, two sides fought it out in the press and in the courts if the tribe was to be contacted or not. In 1953, the former won and researchers descended upon the tribe.

The tribe was very receptive to the researchers. There was no hostility, in fact, the opposite was the case. The tribe was hospitable to the outsiders. At first, the natives mistook the researchers for a displaced tribe. Not only did the tribe take them in as a rescue mission, daughters were offered to the researchers in marriage to strengthen the newly formed bond.

The tribe, at the time of first contact was as primitive and self-reliant as could be. They were primarily hunters and gatherers, though they practiced a good bit of agriculture. It was observed that they had no contact with other tribes so there was no trade practiced.

The tribe quickly adopted many features of modern life that the researchers unintentionally introduced. The first was modern clothes. The tribespeople appeared to have had an insatiable appetite for garments with colors and patterns.

The next feature adopted worried researchers. The tribe migrated from hunting and gathering and moved towards more of a typical “American” diet. The change was very quick as was the adoption of the use of electricity. The researchers tried not to change the Womapog way of life, but failed. The Womapog were practically modernized in a matter of three years. They eventually gave up hunting and gathering all together. They grew very few crops. Some of the food crops that they were cultivating when the researchers made contact made way for tobacco and marijuana, both accidentally introduced by the new guests.

This shift caused a great conflict for the researchers. In very little time after discovery, the tribe was completely dependent on them. Funds started to run out quickly. Supporting the tribe was not in the budget. Furthermore, as the tribe modernized, interest in them waned. The more they looked like the rest of the country, the less compelling they became.

A few members of the Womapog tribe broke off. They were never seen or heard from again. After the fiasco the researchers caused, they were reluctant to follow deserters. It has been rumored a few survive today, deep in the forest. Sightings of them have become almost as mythicized as those of Bigfoot.

In little less than one decade, the grant was almost gone with no perspective of being renewed. Few researchers were left. In 1962 a team of five remaining researchers were on site and they were not so much researching as playing the role of social workers to keep the tribe alive.

Late in March, 1962, a two hundred years storm was forecasted to come suddenly and violently. Researchers were advised to evacuate immediately. They were to be helivaced out and there was only room for them. In later interviews, it was said, with heavy hearts they made promises of returning and said their goodbyes. Little did they know at the time, it would be forever.

The storm lasted over a week. Heavy snow, Arctic temperatures and hurricane force winds caused massive destruction. All roads that led even near the site of the tribe were decimated. The last five researchers, who barely escaped, raised funds privately to make a rescue attempt. A month and a half later, they acquired the necessary funds. It would take another two and a half weeks to get to the tribe. It was too late.

The researchers, now a rescue team, descended upon a horror movie scene. Not one Womapog tribesperson survived. There was evidence of cannibalism. Womapog oral tradition stated that cannibalism was never practiced and in fact was a major sin in their belief system. Mothers were frozen in place trying to warm their children, who shared the same fate.

This was the last time an indigenous tribe was contacted on the North American continent. The case has been studied all over the world and has spawned new protocols for contacting indigenous peoples. In the 1990’s, a monument was approved in the New York State Senate to erect a monument at the site of the tragedy for the Womapog people. Until today, the project has not been started. Works are in the way to make a movie about their story.