We Are Not Alone in the Dark by Ryan Hoyt

Author:Ryan Hoyt [Hoyt, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

MAC

Camellia Flats didn’t have a first-run movie theater. No fancy restaurants and very few fast-food chains. Certainly no malls or even name brand outlets. Residents had to drive half an hour away to Raventree Hollow for those things, or even farther to the big city. One thing Camellia Flats did have that Raventree Hollow didn’t was Galactic Dragon Fun Center. In a town so lacking in entertainment options, Galactic Dragon stood out, an ensemble of neon laser lights shooting out into the otherwise bland town’s night sky.

The outdoors portion included three miniature golf courses to choose from, utilizing an epic fantasy theme with dragons and knights and castles. Indoors, an arcade with colorful screens and all the audible bleeps and bloops of the most recent video games brought the town into the present or even the future with its outer-space science fiction themes and flashing lights. The most recent addition was a laser tag arena filled with blacklight projections, pounding electronica music, and more excitement than the rest of the town combined could provide.

For the teens of Camellia Flats, Galactic Dragon was a caffeine-filled heaven, a sugar-high paradise. That is, when the kids had enough allowance saved up to spend at the place, which wasn’t the cheapest form of entertainment for all its attractions and snack bar goodies.

Fortunately, Jay, Howard, Bryan, and Mac had saved up for this night for quite some time. Jay’s birthday had come and gone in the middle of the school week, so his father had loaded him up with a hundred dollars to spend in lieu of a birthday party. Jay had planned to buy rounds of golf and laser tag and even a couple pizzas to share with his best friends, but his friends were on the hook for any extra rounds or arcade games they wanted to play. The only problem, however, was that one from their quartet had been missing in action all week.

“I can’t believe Bryan didn’t show,” Jay said through bites of cheesy breadsticks. “I only turn fifteen once.”

The party hadn’t gone all downhill, however. When it was clear that Howard was going to be mopey without his girlfriend, along with the empty seat normally reserved for Bryan, Jay caved in and gave Howard permission to invite Larissa along. Mac’s first instinct was to protest, but he bit his tongue to preserve their friendship. Besides, Larissa had been uncharacteristically cheerful all week, even amenable toward Mac. Howard clearly made her a happier person.

“Where are the ladies, anyway?” Jay asked, dropping a greasy ball of napkins onto his plate. “The cheese has coagulated, the breadstick oils have dried up, and this pitcher of cola is mostly melted ice.”

“That’s my sister, late as always,” Mac said, then shot a glance at Howard to make sure he wasn’t upset at the comment. “I mean, she’s probably dolling herself up for Howard.”

“Women,” Jay said. Howard reached under the table and fumbled with something. Mac and Jay met eyes with a confused look and turned to Howard.

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