TWENTY-SEVEN & EIGHT
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140 backed into him suddenly when she saw the rats. He left an e-mail address and I have already answered suggesting he find a girl with a softer rump. Jimbo says now that he has broken up with his girlfriend, because of our naughty kitties, he thinks they owe him a date. The usher had to move him along... Twice. Sorry Jimbo. Just like the zoo we don’ t let you take them home because you think they are cute and cuddly, for your own protection. That is all for now. Thank you for watching Fearsome News.” Eddie added the monologue to an edited video of exiting patrons.
The police blocked the entrance to the parking lot at midnight because the line still extended outside the building. It took two hours to clear the three turnstiles in the portico. Eddie locked the steel doors of the entrance when there was half a single line waiting to see the show. Twenty minutes later, the last group passed through the“ Fear Factory.” The working lights came on and the soundtrack ended. Eddie closed the steel doors and ran the broadcast. He stood in the wide hallway outside the break room. The response was favorable. He planned to air the broadcast for the Saturday matinee employees in the morning.
The hours of the ticket sales were adjusted to allow for clearing the long lines that formed every night. Midnight was the cut-off Friday and Saturday. And ten o’ clock the rest of the week. Eddie was having a hard time remembering what it felt like to be home. Or what a good nights sleep meant. He spoke with Tanya on the phone occasionally. Wednesday night he received a text message from Tracy,“ Meeting tomorrow morning at 10” Eddie sent one back.“ Thank you for reminding me what day it is.” He climbed the stairs to the apartment at 3:00 AM, drank a beer and fell into bed.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The front door of the office building buzzed as Eddie approached. No one was attending the lobby. The sign on the receptionist’ s desk said,“ CONFERENCE ROOM NOW!” Eddie opened the door and saw he was the only one wearing a suit and tie. Everyone wore the familiar black t-shirt with the bright green claw marks on the shoulders. There was a large cake in the center of the table with a spiderweb beautifully drawn in white icing on the chocolate cake. Eddie accepted the round of applause with a nod and a smile and took his seat. Frank stood.“ The next three weeks are going to be a mad house. The website took half a million hits this week. I have canceled half the radio ads. The t-shirts have paid for themselves. Everyone has seen them all over town. It appears we will see a profit if this continues as projected, and I expect it will. Thank you Mr. Eddie Dodge. Great job!” Frank said, extending his hand. Eddie stood and shook Frank’ s hand. Coffee was served and Eddie was asked to cut the cake.
Eddie brought along the DVD of the“ Fearsome News” broadcasts and handed it to Frank.“ Something to help keep the monsters motivated,” Eddie said. Frank put it on the huge monitor in the room for everyone to see while they enjoyed the devil’ s food cake. The news reel ended and Tracy asked“ Were all those comments real?”“ I was just reading what was written. I could not have made it up, nor did I have too,” Eddie answered.“ Meeting adjourned,” Frank announced, handing Eddie the DVD.“ Put that on the website,” Frank said, as the room cleared.