MARVEL: BUYING GODHOOD

Once we were outside the screening room, the three of them stayed much closer to me than they had before the movie.

Sara and Emily had stopped talking about how the movie wasn’t really scary, while Gwen kept looking down the empty corridor whenever we passed another dark doorway.

I didn’t say anything about it.

Considering all three of them had chosen horror, this was their problem.

By the time we reached the main hallway, the lights were brighter and they finally started relaxing again.

I looked toward the three of them and asked, “So, what else do you want to do?” Sara stared at me for a second before asking, “What else?” I nodded.

“It’s still early. You can go home after dinner.”

That apparently changed things.

All three of them immediately became quiet and started thinking.

I had expected at least one of them to say they’d had enough for today, but none of them did.

Sara was the first to suggest something.

“We could watch another movie.” Gwen’s reaction was immediate.

Her face became slightly red as she said, “No. Something else.”

Sara looked at her and slowly smiled.

“Why?

I thought you liked the movie.” Gwen replied, “I did.” Sara immediately continued, “Then another one should be fine.” Gwen’s face became a little redder as she repeated, “I said something else.” Sara looked like she wanted to continue, but Gwen gave her a warning look.

I had a fairly good idea why she suddenly didn’t want another movie, considering how she’d spent most of the last one sitting on my lap, but I wasn’t stupid enough to mention it.

Emily thought for a moment before suggesting, “Zoo?” Sara looked down at herself before Emily could say anything more.

“Didn’t we already decide we’re too dressed up for that?” She lifted one foot slightly, showing the heel she was wearing.

“And I’m not walking around a zoo in these.” Emily looked down at her own heels and sighed.

“Right.”

I looked between them.

“You can change if you want. We can stop somewhere first, or go back to the store.” None of them answered immediately.

Sara looked at Gwen, Gwen looked at Emily, and Emily looked down at her dress as though she was deciding whether changing was worth the trouble.

Sara eventually shook her head.

“I like this dress.” Emily nodded.

“Same.” Gwen didn’t say anything, but considering she hadn’t complained about hers since leaving the store, I assumed she agreed.

“Then somewhere you don’t have to walk much,” I said.

Sara nodded immediately.

“Yes.” We continued toward the elevators while I tried to think of something that worked with that condition.

Shopping was pointless because we’d already done that.

Another restaurant didn’t make sense when we’d only recently eaten.

They didn’t want another movie, and anything outside would probably involve walking.

Then something simple came to mind.

“Gaming?” All three of them looked toward me, and Sara was the first to ask, “Gaming?” I nodded.

“Games. Sitting down. No walking around in heels.” Emily considered it before slowly nodding.

“That actually sounds good.” Gwen looked toward Sara, and after thinking for another few seconds, Sara agreed.

“Okay.”

“Gaming parlour or house?” I asked.

That made them pause again.

I wasn’t sure why every small choice apparently required a group discussion, but the three of them looked at each other as we waited for the elevator.

Sara seemed ready to choose the gaming parlour at first, but then she looked down at her dress again.

Emily asked, “Wouldn’t we have the same problem there?” Gwen nodded.

“People staring.” Sara sighed before answering, “House, then.” Emily agreed, “House,” and Gwen nodded as well.

“House.”

The elevator arrived, and we stepped inside.

I pressed the button for the underground parking level before leaning back against the wall.

“Back home?” I asked.

Sara immediately looked toward Gwen, making Gwen ask, “Why are you looking at me?” Sara replied, “Because you live there.” Gwen frowned slightly.

“So?” Sara asked, “Is the house normal, or should we expect something weird there too?”

Gwen stared at her before saying, “You just watched him close an entire cinema because I said our clothes would be embarrassing. What exactly do you think normal means anymore?” Sara considered that for a second before looking toward me.

“Fair.” I smiled slightly.

“You’ll survive.”

The elevator continued downward.

By the time the doors opened, the bright hallways behind us had been replaced by the much quieter underground parking area.

It wasn’t actually dark enough to be dangerous, but there were fewer lights, the building was almost empty because I’d cleared it for them, and after spending two hours watching a horror movie, the silence probably wasn’t helping.

None of them moved for a second, so I stepped out first.

Behind me, Sara quietly asked, “Why does this suddenly look worse than before?” Emily answered, “Because before we hadn’t watched that movie.” Gwen looked down the parking area toward where the car had been left and asked, “Why is it so quiet?”

“Because you didn’t want people around,” I reminded her.

Gwen looked at me, and I smiled.

“Your request.” She frowned slightly.

“I didn’t mean make it creepy.” I told her, “It isn’t creepy.” Sara finally stepped out of the elevator and immediately disagreed.

“It is.” Emily followed her before adding, “A little.”

I shook my head and started toward the car.

We hadn’t even gone ten steps before I felt something catch the back of my jacket.

I looked over my shoulder and found Sara holding the edge of it.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Sara replied, “Walking.” I looked at her hand.

“You’re holding my jacket.” She didn’t seem bothered.

“I know.”

Before I could say anything else, Emily caught the other side.

I stopped and looked toward her, making her ask, “What?” I looked down at her hand, and she followed my eyes before saying, “I’m not getting grabbed from behind in an empty parking garage.” Sara nodded seriously.

“Exactly.” I stared at both of them.

“Who’s going to grab you?” Neither answered.

Then Gwen moved closer and caught my sleeve as well.

I looked toward her, and she immediately defended herself.

“They’re doing it.” I pointed out, “That doesn’t explain why you are.” Gwen simply replied, “It doesn’t need to.” Apparently, after one horror movie, my suit had become some kind of safety rope.

I started walking again, and all three came with me.

Sara still had part of my jacket, Emily held the other side, and Gwen remained attached to my sleeve.

Every time a sound echoed through the parking area, at least one of them looked around.

I considered reminding Sara that she’d spent most of the drive here talking about how old horror movies weren’t scary, but then decided I wanted to reach the car without being attacked by three girls in heels.

When the car finally came into view, Sara released my jacket first and hurried toward it.

Emily followed almost immediately, while Gwen stayed beside me for a few more steps before letting go as well.

I unlocked the doors, and all three of them got into the back almost immediately.

I stopped beside the driver’s door and looked through the window.

Sara was already sitting behind me, Emily was beside her, and Gwen had taken the remaining seat.

I opened the driver’s door and sat down before saying, “That was fast.” Sara didn’t even argue this time.

She simply told me, “Drive.”

I started the engine, and the parking area suddenly looked much less frightening once the headlights came on.

As I pulled out of the parking space and started toward the exit, I looked at the three of them through the mirror.

All of them had already relaxed again now that they were inside the car.

I waited until we were moving before asking, “Are you sure you want to go back home and play games, or do you want to do something else?”