Only In The Movies

Chapter 1: Writer's Block

Like many things, including horror stories, it started with a sleepover. I was situated on the armchair with my laptop on… well, my lap, experiencing the dreaded writer's block.

"Oh I give up!" I exclaimed, shutting the lid of the laptop with an exaggerated flourish.

Bridget widened her eyes mockingly from the armchair opposite me, not taking her eyes off the TV screen. "Calm down, Jen. What did the laptop ever do to you?"

I chose not to reply, and joined her in watching our other friend, Rica, in 'epically losing' at a game on X-Box, according to Bridget. After putting away the laptop, Bridget and I found a sort of sadistic amusement in teasing Rica at her gaming skills. Or rather, lack thereof.

K-O flashed across the screen in big red letters, and a small CRASH was heard as Rica threw the X-Box controller half-heartedly across the room at the TV set. Luckily, she missed the TV and the glass coffee table. Instead, she had hit a sturdy-looking photo frame that was on the coffee table beforehand, and was now lying face down on the carpet.

"What was that for? You could have broken something," asked Bridget, while I ensured my Pirates of the Caribbean DVD was intact.

Rica made no attempt to answer, nor pick up the photo frame and the controller. Rather, she opted to sprawl out comfortably on the couch after switching off the TV. "How come you're not writing, Jen?"

I became annoyed once more as I remembered my desperate attempts to continue writing. "It's called writer's block.

-

After deciding to watch my Pirates DVD, we were wholly content. Perhaps it would jog my brain, provide a source of inspiration to cure my seemingly terminal disease. There was only one glitch in the system.

"What are we going to have for dinner?" I asked Rica, while Bridget set up the DVD.

"Ah. I have that all sorted out." She pointed to the coffee table, where there was a big bowl of popcorn, chips, a bowl of lollies, cookies, and other such junk food. I stared at the arrangement for a while. In truth, I had assumed that was just for pigging out on for the movie, then later in the night, not for dinner. I shrugged. Bridget looked around after she had finished setting up the DVD, frowning.

"It's okay Bridget, it's just going to make us morbidly obese, and unfunctionable," I joked, noticing her frown. "Is 'unfunctionable' even a word?"

Bridget's expression changed, becoming over-the-top concerned. "It's not that. It's just such a low-protein and vitamin-less meal," said Bridget, tone solemn.

"It's not low-protein," said Rica defensively, defending her precious junk food with the bowl of popcorn on her lap. "Because the lollies are made of gelatine, which is made of cow's-"

She stopped.

Bridget finally burst into laughter, and I joined her, though less enthusiastic. Even Rica cracked a smile after a while of pretending to be cross.

"Oh shut up," she intoned, throwing a pillow at Bridget.

I appointed myself master of the DVD control, and hurriedly pressed play. As soon as I did, rain started to pour outside. It beat down on the tin patio roof outside like bullets ricocheting. We all furrowed our eyebrows at that. The rain was truly heavy, like a monsoon or something. A downpour.

"Is that-"

"If you're going to say 'is that rain', Bridget, then yes it is. Weirdly enough."

A roar of thunder shook the house, and stopped whatever remark Rica was going to say.

The ironic thing was that the DVD was just playing Jerry Bruckheimer logo, where the lightning hits the tree and makes that thunder noise. At first I thought it came from the superb surround-sound speakers, as the thunder had come from all around us. Then I realised that Rica didn't have surround-sound speakers, and that the Bruckheimer logo didn't come with the sound of pounding rain on the roof.

As I was the one nearest the closed curtains, I peeked out the window. I couldn't see much, except for the rain splattered on the window, dots of light from other people's windows and the occasional flash of lightning.

"What's up?" called out Rica's voice.

"A storm," I said, closing the curtains and jumping back on the couch.

"No shit, Sherlock."

Another peal of thunder.

"It sounds pretty bad," said Bridget nervously.

But the movie was finally beginning, while the storm still raged in the background. If you concentrated really hard, you couldn't even hear the thunder! After a particularly bright flash of lightning followed almost immediately by yet another roll of thunder, Bridget spoke up.

"Hey guys, the storm's getting worse… are you sure we should be watching a movie? I mean, couldn't the TV blow up or something?"

Rica laughed. "What are you talking about? The TV's not going to blow up, idiot!"

Ah, foreshadowing. We all love it.

I simply chucked a piece of popcorn at Rica, which then fell back into the popcorn bowl she was cradling. "Shh, the movie's starting. It's hard enough to hear as it is."

Rumbling from outside drowned out the last of my words. Damn thunder.

As we attempted to watch the movie, Bridget and Rica continued to complain, while I pretended not to hear them. It didn't really ruin the movie experience for me anyway, as I knew most of the dialogue. Probably a side-effect from watching it so many times.

All of a sudden…

BOOM!!

Out went the lights and the TV.

Fantastic. And yet, just so typical.

This left us silent in the dark, save for (of course) the still-raging storm. Then a shaky voice called out. Not reassuring words, asking if we were ok. Of course not. It was Bridget, after all.

"Now guys… I would hate to say 'I told you so' right now, but seriously…"

"Shut it Bridget," I said, simultaneously while Rica muttered under her breath, probably something to do with Bridget's smugness. I could just imagine the shit-eating grin plastered on Bridget's face.

After another pause, in which the thunder continued, Rica seemed to realise something.

"My TV!" she suddenly exclaimed. I could hear her sit bolt upright. "My beautiful TV…"

Which set me off.

"Rica! Forget about the TV, what happened to the DVD?!" I grieved for the picture of Jack printed on the DVD.

"Calm down, you two. Does anyone have a torch or something?" Bridget said with a would-be-calm voice. We didn't answer her. "Candles, maybe?" We still didn't say anything. "No? Alright then. Thanks guys, great help you are." The sarcasm was seeping into her voice. Better say something.

"Uh, what about phone light?" I asked, feeling around for my phone or iPod. Something that would give us glorious artificial light.

"Good idea. Now just to find it…" Bridget and I stood up, facing the couch and feeling around for our technological devices.

"Uh, guys…?"

"How the hell did cavemen live?"

Rica didn't join in our hunt, but we ignored her. I reached down the side of the couch, but no luck. Only lint and a few popcorn that had gotten wedged down there. "Let's check under the cushions."

We lifted one up. Same as the side of the couch.

"Guys…"

"Ew, I think I touched something!"

"What is it Bridget?"

"…Oh no, don't worry! It was just a lolly. I think Rica dropped one. Speaking of, move so we can check under your cushion, Rica!"

When I looked at in Rica's general vicinity, I suddenly realised I could see a little. Very dimly. But still, sight is sight. Rica's head was tilted, and she looked like she was hypnotised or something, not moving her eyes.

"Guys, something weird is happening to my TV."

"More like the DVD!" I groaned. "My beautiful Jack… and we were almost up to the bit where Jack makes his spectacular entrance!"

"Guys! Quit moaning and what happened to the TV Rica?" said Bridget with her bossy voice reserved for special cases. "And what does Jack Sparrow have to do with the current situation, Jen?"

"Captain!"

"Whatever, Jen."

"Look at the TV!" Rica simply said, pointing to the TV screen. We whirled around, and looked at it. It was… glowing. In fact, the TV and the flashing lightning were the only sources of light in the room.

There was a pause while we looked at the glowing, multicoloured screen.

"My beautiful TV screen is glowing! It must be taken over by evil spirits or something… Psychedelic spirits! Maybe my TV is a hippie."

I tried to look on the bright side. "Well, if the TV is still working, then the DVD should be fine, too!" Who said I couldn't be an optimist?

This earned a whisper from Bridget. "What has this world come to?" she muttered, as if we were crazy or something. The nerve!

I shuffled forward, transfixed by the luminous TV. Surely the power was out, yet… I stretched out my arm to touch the screen.

"Jen! Don't touch it!" exclaimed Bridget, as soon as she noticed what I was about to do.

"Why not?" I asked her, withdrawing my hand which was mere centimetres away from the screen.

"Well, it's like those movies, right?" responded Rica in a thoughtful voice. "Where they touch the thing, and then they get transported somewhere else!"

"To some far off land? I don't think so," I said. "Anyway, that's all the more reason to touch it, isn't it?"

My friends held their breath as I touched the screen.

Nothing happened. "See? Nothing happened," I said. "You try it."

Rica and Bridget reached out.

I tried to retract my hand to give them some room, but I found I couldn't. It was stuck there, as if someone had put super-glue on the screen. I wouldn't put it down to Rica to do that. I opened my mouth to warn them (or at least Bridget, if Rica had done it), but they had already touched the screen too.

Then the most clichéd thing happened.

No, we didn't get teleported into Sleeping Beauty's castle and ended up holding a disco in the castle while the occupants slept, but something close to that.

Three simultaneous yells pierced the air.

"MY TV! Stop it, TV!"

"At least my DVD's safe!"

"Oh crap!"

Disclaimer: This disclaimer will extend 'til the end of this story. I hereby do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or pretty much anything to do with it. If it's copyrighted, it ain't mine. I don't even own Rica or Bridget, as they are their own person. I do, however, own myself and my shameless self-insert.

A/N: This story has been through what has felt like a million rewrites. While it may not be the best, nor the most original story out there, hopefully it's entertaining and you guys like it! I love nothing more than reviews, and any would be absolutely wonderful. That said, onto the story and into the world of Pirates.