Dating : Unapologetic: a New Age Horror Story

“Can I have one ticket for Tenet please? “ the protagonist asked the lady at the counter.

This was his first time watching a movie at BFI Imax, London. The BFI London IMAX is the largest cinema screen in Britain and it can easily accommodate hundreds of movie goers easily.

“Here you go” said the lady from the other side of the counter, passing him the ticket.

He was feeling elated for securing a movie ticket. Simple task for many but a big feat for the protagonist.

The protagonist had never tasted success in his life. Every single endeavour had been met with failure.

His parents deserted him and his young wife left him for a fat farmer.

And this time, he managed to get a ticket to watch one of the most expensive movies made at one of most prestigious theaters in London. He then took a moment to reflect on his past.

He had run away from his village and joined ISIS- hoping for a better life. But Lady Misery lapdanced in his life- chasing his happiness away daily.

He remembered a miserable moment where he took his new brandished AK-47 and fired at his cardboard targets- missing every single target. He even shot a colleague accidentally on the arm- angering everyone. ISIS, with guns blazing, literally chased him out of Syria and kicked him out of the border.

And that was how he ended up in London. At BFI London IMAX, he saw hundreds of movie lovers had turned up to see Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece. He had always enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s movies. He watched Dunkirk 15 times in the theatres. Then on DVD a few more times. Gunshots turned him on.

He pushed through the crowd and got comfortable at his seat. The movie begins with John David Washington (the protagonist in the film) gunning his way into an opera house with some masked men. The sound of each gun shot turned him on. As he witnessed the rifles showering the area with bullets, he looked back at the people seated in the theater.

Then he did the unthinkable. He said his final prayers and lifted his mask.

“BURRPPPPP”

He opened his mouth wide and let out the loudest and longest burp.

“BURRPPPPP”

He burped again, this time lifting his head towards the ceiling of the theater.

The people seated beside him looked at him in disgust.

“Sorry” was the only thing he said, unapologetically before putting on his mask.

He had a wide grin beneath the mask, as only days ago he was tested positive for COVID-19. And now the virus was sneaking quietly towards its victims, infecting hundreds of innocent movie goers.

The deed is done. He has committed a deadly sin. But he didn’t leave the theater immediately. He sat on to watch another 30 minutes of the film.

“No one cared who I was till I took off the mask” — the protagonist thought to himself as he quietly exited the theatre.