As the lady uttered the words "Blooming Street" my head started to spin. The warning from my last night's dream rang in my ears "Stay away from Blooming Street". My face turned pale and I just looked on at the lady dumbfounded. The lady sensed that something was wrong and asked me,"Is there a problem? Are you alright? I could rent out a cab if you are going elsewhere". As she spoke, I came out of my trance and answered,"No, don't get me wrong. Where exactly is this place, er, Blooming Street? I have never heard of this place before." "Oh, don't worry, it is about five miles from here. I'll guide you." So, I turned the ignition and started driving the car.
As I was driving, I realized that I had not asked the lady's name. "What's your name?", I asked. "Selene" she answered in a low tone. My heart beat started to increase and cold sweat trickled slowly from my forehead. I wondered if I was still dreaming. I pinched my arm to check if all this was real. The pain I experienced assured me that this was actually happening. It seemed that there was a strong message in my dream. I just could not read it yet. But, whatever it was, clearly told me to stay away from the Blooming Street. I wondered if I should just stop the car, drop the lady and just turn around. But, the good Samaritan in me just wanted to do the right thing by dropping the lady safely to her destination.
"So, Selene, why were those men after you?" I asked her regaining my composure. "I had taken a lift from these men. But, they waylaid me and started demanding money from me. When I refused, they started attacking me. You came at the right time and saved my life." She said the last sentence with a great sense of gratitude. I was proud of myself for doing a noble act by saving her. "So, do you stay in Blooming Street?" I asked her curiously. "No, I just work there". We chatted casually for some time and I remembered all of a sudden that I had forgotten to inform Jimmy that I would not be able to go to the movie. I picked up my phone and dialed his number. The phone rang for some time and the call went to his voice mail. So, I just left a message for him saying that I would not be able to go to the movie and told him that I would explain all the details to him later.
Selene was guiding the route to me and after about twenty minutes we were able to reach our destination. The street was deserted. It had few old houses. Selene asked me to drop her in front of an old-fashioned building. The name "Opera House" was painted in bold letters in front of the building. "So, you work here? Are you an actress?", I asked Selene. "Yes, you are right. I work in the drama company. Would you like to come inside and take a look?" she offered to me. I always wanted to see a drama rehearsal and readily accepted her offer.
We entered the Opera House. It was huge from the inside. It did not seem so big from the outside. I stood for a moment marveling at the beautiful architecture. The huge white pillars and the carpeted red floors thrilled me. A rose scent filled the air. There seemed like there was some magic in the air and I was feeling light and blessed to be walking in this beautiful building. The roof of the building was very high and was covered by a huge black dome. Black wallpaper covered the walls. In the distance, I saw a person waving to Selene. Selene waved back to the man.
We soon approached the man. Selene ran and kissed the man. The man was tall and handsome. He looked at me curiously and said,"Hello. Are you a friend of Selene?". Before I could answer him, Selene interrupted and told him how I had saved her life. The man came over to me and thanked me profusely. "Thanks for saving my girlfriend. But, I wonder what you are doing in this lonely part of the city?". I told him how I was going for my date with Jimmy and had to take a diversion owing to the heavy rains last night. Selene said that Rocky was her boyfriend and also the producer of the drama. The rest of the actors were in the makeup room waiting for her. She excused herself and asked me to wait in the audience section.
I went and sat in the audience chairs. After about fifteen minutes, the curtains opened to reveal Selene sitting on a couch in a pretty white dress. She was having coffee and speaking to someone on her phone. Suddenly, a masked man came from behind her and grabbed her mouth. She struggled furiously. But, at last, she died. The acting was so real that I felt really terrified. The masked man left quietly and Selene remained motionless. I clapped. But, even after two minutes when she did not move, I sensed that something was wrong. I ran to the stage and checked her pulse. I stood frozen when I realized that Selene was actually dead.
To be continued
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