Mandala 0

Monday, November 25, 1991

7:15 PM, EDT

New York City, New York

            It was a dark and stormy night. Well, to be technically correct, it was a dark night and soon to be stormy. But not a storm of the natural variety. Ron Cushing didn’t care that it was a dark and soon to be stormy night, he was just trying to stave off the boredom his job as a security guard entailed. That was why he was splitting his attention between the security monitors and the TV. Currently the tube was showing a commercial featuring three guys in tan jump suits.

“Are you hearing strange noises in the middle of the night?” asked one man with a boyish face.

“Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic?” asked the second man, with a hawkish face, ridiculously holding a flashlight under his chin.

“Have you or any of your family ever seen a spook, specter or ghost?” asked the third man, who had a sly face and a widow’s peak that he somehow managed to make seem not to detract from his suavity.

“If the answer is yes, then don’t wait another minute, pick up you phone and call the professionals,” said the first man, “Call the…”

“GHOSTBUSTERS!” said all three together, “We’re ready to believe you!”

“Franchises available soon!” said the third man, “Call for details!”

And then, there was a flash from one of the monitors. Ron jerked up and stared at the flickering screen. Did he just see something float past the screen? He grabbed his radio and called out, “Hey Steve! You down there in the East wing man?”

Down in the said east wing, another security guard, and a tall young man with a blond crew cut. “Yeah man, I’m here.

“There’s something headed your way man!” Ron’s voice crackled over the radio.

“All right, I’ll check it out,” Steve said as he pointed his flashlight down the corridor.

“Hey man, aren’t you heading into the new section, the Gozer exhibit?”

“Yeah.”

“I been reading about the guy who donated most of that Gozer stuff, Shandor. Guy was creepy man, he was into the occult! You know, the supernatural, man!”

Just then Steve, who had been examining the hall, twitching his light over the displays when his light landed on a sarcophagus containing a skeleton.

“Gah! Geez… hey Ron, why don’t we talk about it some other time? Any other time.” The he jumped again as shape ran past him. He jerked his light towards it, a scream rising in his throat but the light played over the form of a young woman carrying a stack of books. Oh good, thieves he could deal with.

“HEY! You’re not supposed to be in here!” he yelled and began to chase her. But just as he did, he heard an explosion of noise, like a jet airliner, from behind him. He swung around and stared in horror as a tremendous light washed over him and screamed.

The wave of sound and light exploded out from the museum and began to expand in a ring across the whole of New York City, reaching out as far as Liberty Island.