{popcorn

By Verda Courtney

“Mum hurry up, we’re going to be late,” I urged as the car came to a halt.The movie is about to start and we’re at the back of a long line that snakes out the door, in a movie theatre which had rich plum coloured carpet and posters from what looks like 1980!I peek ahead, seeing someone go into the toilets and come straight back out again, looking like they were about to be sick.Dragging my eyes back to the queue realising that I could’ve eaten a double scoop ice cream and finished even the cone while I was waiting to get to the front of the line. Licking my lips and muttering “finally” we reach the front of the line.Taking a step forward , I realise a second to late that a shoe of someone: a rich city kid was in my way.Face planting into a piece of gum, she had just flicked of her shoe.“Great” I enviously muttered to myself. The worst part was she had just pushed in, taking the only tickets to the movie I ha been waiting weeks to see.Mira was at my side now. I ignored her though. If you decide to show that rich city kid, turn to page 3 Or if you stay out of her and see another movie, turn to page 63

Page 1

Furious I decide to pick myself up.Quick.

She’s getting away.I duck out of line avoiding angry protests heading

in my direction. I jumped up the stairs two at a time.

“Verda we’re going to miss the movie!”Sisters can be so thick sometimes, I thought as I

followed the gleaming shoes.She’s waiting.

Waiting at the front of the line.I lurched forward racing to get to her before the

ticket man.Suddenly an impatient man stepped in front me to see where he was in the line. I slam on the brakes

but...CRASH!!!“Wooow”

Losing my balance, I topple over.

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popcorn

A friendly hand was helping me upAn unfriendly voice was complaining about me

colliding with his back.“Movie ticket please,” drawled the ticket man

“And unlucky last. Ticket please,” “ Oh, um it’s here somewhere,” I pretended as I

searched my pockets.“Come on,” he said impatiently tapping his foot to the

clock on the wall.“ I think I must’ve forgot it,” I stalled as I then took off

down the stairs hoping his boredom wasn’t contagious.

Locating mum, Zoe, Dejana, and Mira, I suggested we go home for a swim, then pointed to the dull grey sky

turning into a bright sunny day. Zoe and DJ agreed with me, and mum and Mira had no choice but to take

us home.

THE END

Continued

Deciding that the best option was to stay out of her way, I wait while mum orders the popcorn and movie tickets.

“Sorry ma’am. There’s only 4 movie tickets left,” said the ticket man apologetically.

“ Oh um. Are you all right to go in by yourself?” mum questioned

“Yeah, but I bags looking after Dejana,” I exclaimed as Mira claimed Zoe.

“ Ok. Could I please have those movie tickets, and 2 packets of Jaffa's and Popcorn. Please.”

We raced up the stairs, movie tickets rustling in our hands. We waited impatiently until the movie man

decided to turn up.“ Alright your seats are A5, 6, 7, AND 8.”

“What?!” replies Mira angrily.“Ohh!” whines Dejana.

As we trudge to our seats looking up at the movie screen looming in front of us. Then a boy of about 8 years

energetically walks through the door.Great.

Just perfect.

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He looks like he’s going to explode with excitement the way he’s jiggling around.

I thought about giving him a look like ‘ you’d better stop that’He was gazing at the screen, and I was staring at the lady next to him

which I thought was his mother, hoping she wasn’t going to let him jiggle around all through the movie. I dragged my eyes back to the

screen.Eugh. Yuk. A kissing scene.

Great Just perfect.Spectacular.

What’s he doing now?He’s laughing like a maniac, making all the seats shake, and he’s got

the arm rest.I rubbed my neck gingerly, as the movie screen loomed in front of me

like Bald Spur did.All through the movie I repeated to myself

Calm down. He’s just an annoying little kid, as the 5 minute break came on and ‘To Be Continued’ flashes up on the screen.

4 minutes pass.People start strolling back to their seats.

“Verda. I need to go to the toilet,” a little voice said, followed by Dejana“Um, how badly?” I ask uncertainly

“Really, really badly,” she says as she hops on the spot.“You’ve got 2 options”

If you take DJ to the toilet, miss the movie, then turn to page 18

If you stay and watch the movie turn to page 27

Continued

Deciding that she couldn’t wait any longer, DJ and I run past all the content people holding ice creams , delicious smelling popcorn, and packets of freshly opened packets of Jaffa’s. We raced down the rich plum coloured carpet, and into a line that leads out the line.“Uh oh,” I mutter under my breath as the heavy wooden doors swing shut, indicating the movie beginning again.“Come on” whines DJ uncomfortably.Pushing through impatient people who snapped at us worse than a hungry Alligator. We pushed open the greasy door. “Aagh,” DJ screamed, while losing her balance on a splash of water.I grab onto her wrist, as I accidently take a step forward.“Woooow!”We land on top of each other laughing.We look around the toilets.It looked like a tornado had gone though the place.The sinks looked unnaturally grey and dirty.Water littered the floor, and created silver patches, as the yellow light flickers, casting an eerie shadow over the toilets.“I don’t think I need to go to the toilet,” said DJ uncertainly.Behind us the door opened.Mira and Zoe picked their way past the water, a look of disgust on their faces.

Turn the page

Page 18

“After DJ went to the toilets, Zoe decided that she needed to go,” replied Mira.

“But I don’t now,”“Neither do I “ replied Dejana.

“Let’s take this conversation elsewhere. I reckon the movie should be just about

finished, and mum will be waiting for us,” I said disappointedly.

Sure enough, mum was waiting for us and we went home to a glass of icy cold water,

while telling mum of our adventure.

THE END!

Continued

Fortunately for us the movie resumed, the doors shut. On comes the scene that all little kids love: the handsome prince rescues the beautiful princess from her tall

tower.Watching the movie from on the edge of her seat, DJ soon forgets that she needs to

go to the toilet.Watching her sit on the edge of her seat, I forget about the movie.

Suddenly the beautiful princes screamed as she was caught by the baddies that were holding a razor sharp knife glinting in the sunshine. Suddenly the handsome prince swoops into action, karate kicking the baddies, and running away with the beautiful

princess.I glance at DJ and Zoe hanging off the edge of her seat, looking if any thing anymore

exciting came on they would fall off their seats.I look at Mira, turning my head ever so slightly in our sisters direction.

We both tried to hide our giggles.“Girls be quiet. This is a movie, and not a place to giggle,” the annoying boys mother

sternly told us.“Tell that to your own son” I thought.

“And you,” she grumbled turning to the boy on my right, “You should remember that too young man.”

I felt myself go red as a plum, as peoples heads turned to stare at the front row.I turned to the movie embarrassed. The beautiful princess was crying over her

beloved cat that had just died in her hands. Reaching for the popcorn, but getting nothing but un-popped popcorn. Turn the page

Page 27

“Great. My day just gets better and better,” I mutter to myself.The door opens, a light flickers at the door, and heads turn.“Who’s been talking?”Irritated a man of about 50 peers at all our guilty faces.“Which one of you was talking?”“That old lady,” replies Dejana quickly, pointing a shaking finger at the scowling woman who had just growled us.“Well excuse me! I wasn’t the one talking and giggling all through the movie!” she pronounced angrily.“Hey. We weren’t either!” I protested“You’re the one that growled us for laughing in a funny movie,”“Alright enough!” bellowed the infuriated movie usher.“Please come with me.” he said looking at all of us. “All of you”We all followed him. DJ and Zoe looked like they were about to cry, and the old lady kept shooting us furious glances at us, like we had just wrecked her whole day. We had.But she had wrecked ours as well.

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My legs felt like jelly, and some one had just taken a very big bite out of them. Mira looked shaken as well. This wasn’t a normal day at the movies like we had anticipated . There was a faint rumbling noise. I was curious to see that ‘Annoying boy’ was still watching the movie.The noise was getting louder.“Stampede,” DJ shouted.I grabbed hold of her hand and ran towards the crowd. It looked like about 5 movies finished at once and everyone needed to go to the toilet. I was glad to see that ‘Golden Shoes’ was being pushed around by the crowd. We weaved in between people, while holding onto DJ’s sweaty hand.“Yes,” I said to myself proudly, as I had just avoided a big growling.Locating mum, Mira and Zoe in the crowd, while staying away from the bald head, bobbing around like a loose leaf on the tree, indicating the movie usher.“What have you guys been up to?” Mum asked us very questioningly.“Oh nothing much,”“Just getting annoyed with a couple of little kids, going into horrible toilets, watching a boring movie, and missing a really interesting movie because of a pair of shoes.”

THE END