A guy I had been seeing asked me to go to the movies with him. We hadn’t been dating long, but I was excited for a casual night out. When we arrived, he went to get the tickets while I headed to the concession stand to grab some candy.
The young woman at the counter handed me a tub of popcorn instead of the candy I had asked for. I raised an eyebrow, about to ask what was going on, when she leaned closer and whispered, “Careful.”
Her voice was low, urgent, and strangely cold. A chill ran down my spine, and I felt a sudden knot of unease tighten in my stomach. I thanked her quickly, forcing a smile, and clutched the popcorn tightly as I walked to meet him.
We entered the theater, the lights dimming around us, and I settled into my seat, trying to shake off the strange warning. But the woman’s words echoed in my mind as the previews began to play.