Gremlin Files Chapter 10: In which a movie is seen
Stripe felt himself stiffen when Brain drew their attention to a figure. Was it another of those things they'd darted into this theater, then into the first movie door they got to, to escape from? They'd not even bothered to see which movie was showing. Thoughts of the movie caused Stripe's gaze to rise toward the screen rather than toward the figure Brain had indicated. A red haired doll holding a knife ran after a child, which made Stripe crow with laughter.
"Hi, I'm Chucky. Wanna play?"
Apparently the doll talked too! Stripe laughed again, adding enthusiastic clapping this time, then recalling that they could perhaps still be in danger he glanced where Brain indicated. To his surprise his eyes fell on another gremlin, as enthralled by the doll on the movie screen as Stripe was a moment ago. "Thought they were all dead," he murmured half to himself. Weren't he Phantom and Brain the only survivors from that insane Lab where Billy and Gismo had ended up? Darting forward, Stripe zoomed down the isle of seats until he reached the other gremlin. Darting in front of him, he got a good look at his face. The face wore 3d movie glasses. Could it be?
"Cinema!"
The gremlin, riveted by the doll, started slightly nearly dropping his huge box of popcorn. Popcorn! "Yum!" Stripe reached greedily for the box. Clutching it in one arm his other hand began shoving fistfuls into his mouth. Ah the ghooy crunchy buttery goodness!
"Stripe! It's you!"
Cinema shocked him with a brief hug and clap on the shoulder. "I thought you died along with the rest of them! It's so good to see you! I've been alone for so long!"
"I thought you died too," Stripe said, feeling Brain and Phantom approaching, but not turning away from his current conversation or the popcorn either.
"I was saved by following you actually," Cinema said. "When you left the theater to see what that stupid Gismo and his human were up to, I followed. It saved me when they exploded the whole thing. Then...then I thought I saw them kill you, so what happened?!"
Stripe quickly explained how he'd hidden in the water, and how it had healed him, if slowly. He concluded with a shrug. "I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't the best leader," he said uncomfortably. "I got them all blown up and...I nearly got myself killed. I just didn't know what to do with all the attacks. We were just playing and they tried to kill us! They killed most of us!"
"I know. It wasn't your fault," Cinema said. The words were nice in a way Stripe didn't expect to care about. It meant a lot, and he gave the glasses wearing gremlin an appreciative look. To show his gratitude he even handed back over the box of popcorn.
"Ah you can have it," Cinema said with a careless wave of his hand. "I can get more. I live here now. In this theater! It's great! I get all the yummy food and drink I can eat, and it's warm and safe and dark! I learned about New York from watching movies in that first little town," Cinema explained. "They say anyone can get lost in New York City, and so I thought...what a perfect place to stay alive and hide! I can keep out of sight when people are here, and once the theater loses I come out to get food! You can live her too! It's great."
He waved over Stripe's shoulder at Brain and Phantom. Phantom, who hadn't been hatched yet when they had known Cinema gave a shy smile, but remained behind Stripe.