Roger Darcey is no longer amongst the living. I'm not entirely sure he ever was to begin with. But one thing is for certain, I am closer now then ever to learning the secrets of Mooncreek, thanks to whatever the thing is that takes on his face and body.

Roger, or whatever it may be; lead Jacob and I toward theater 7; casually making us popcorn as he explained the nature of the film that he wanted us to be a part of.

"May I just say that every time we get a chance to work on this project it just makes my heart leap! The Mooncreek Monster is going to set the tone for horror movies for the next thirty years. I especially appreciate getting the chance to find local talent for the parts," Roger said as he set up the projector.

"You hired people to play in the movie?" Jacob asked. "Don't be safe of course I did! This is after all, a story of the community and what the Mooncreek means to all of us!" As he finished, he encouraged us to take a seat and said, "I thought we would get things started by reviewing the footage thus far."

I sat down as he passed me some popcorn and waited to see if this time I would see the film that was apparently the cause of all the strange things happening here.

Surprisingly as the screen shifted to blotches of white and gray, I found myself staring at an older actor. He kind of looked like me, but maybe 10 years more down the road. And he didn't look very friendly. He was walking down a hallway, carrying heavy iron chains. There was a figure standing there in what appeared to be the end of the hallway, and as the camera adjusted I realized it was none other than Antoinette.

I did my best to hide my shock as I watched the man on camera bind the girl with the iron chains. Surprisingly despite their heaviness, it didn't seem like the girl was bothered at all. She just seemed angry and violent the more the old actor worked to wrap them around her body.

Then the camera flipped to the next scene, showing the actor moving the girl toward that same sealed door we had discovered the night before.

Jacob was there in the film as well, eagerly pushing Antoinette into the darkened tunnel and then closing the seal. It was at that point the film stopped and Roger excitedly turned to us, his eyes hopeful for our opinion.

"What do you think? Does it highlight the real plight of the main character?" Roger asked.

I was too shocked by the imagery to respond, but Jacob was eager to ask questions.

"Roger... is Antoinette the star of this film?"

"Well of course she is! Don't tell me you forgot! We made this whole theater just for her!" he snapped and then turned toward me and remarked, "Mister Saunders with your permission I want to go ahead and move forward with the final scene of the movie tonight."

I didn't know what else to do but to say yes to his request. Then Roger dashed out of the theater, eager to set up equipment as Jacob and I watched him leave.

"I told you the girl was bad news," my partner said sourly.

"Maybe... or maybe you're the one who has been manipulating me this entire time," I said looking him in the eye as I stood up.

"What's that supposed to mean? I've been nothing but helpful this entire time!" Jacob snarled.

"Except for the fact that you've been the one to push this. Insisting that we can't let it go. And now, when things are finally starting to come together; you're hesitant. Tell me what you're hiding Jacob Cobb... if that's even your real name."

He waved his hand dismissively at me. "You're grasping at straws old man. You want this little fantasy to make sense, but I think you're being drawn into it just as much as I am! Randolph should have torn this place down! But now that it's got people in it again, the Mooncreek is going to finish the story. And it's using us to play the parts it wants," he insisted.

"This building is part of us, whether we like it or not. So maybe it is up to us to see how this plays out. Maybe it will make things right," I said.

"We don't even know what we are waiting for!" Jacob snapped back.

Roger was dashing back up the steps, smiling ear to ear.

"I just got off the phone with them. They said they will be eager to come here. Probably around 3:30 this afternoon for a special showing. We need to get everything ready," he said.

Jacob and I both looked at him, our faces a picture of mixture and confusion.

"Wait... who did you call?" I asked.

"Antoinette's parents of course. They need to be here in theater 7 for the final scene. That's how it's supposed to be," Roger said firmly.

I glanced at Jacob and nodded slowly. "Right.... of course. Could you remind me exactly what the plan is tonight? I just want to be sure I do my best," i said.

Roger Darcey laughed and it echoed the dark theater.

"That's an easy one, Mister Saunders. We're bringing them here to kill them," he said as he shot me the most serious look and then muttered that he needed to go clean the bathrooms. 

Once he was gone, Jacob squeezed my shoulder. "Enough is enough, we need to call Randolph. Get him to tear this place down. It's cursed. And we can't just let it happen this way! We can't be part of this," he insisted.

I shook my head, confused by all that was happening. "I... I don't know what to do anymore. Jacob, why is this happening?" I asked.

"Hell if I know, listen to me; old man. We can't stay here. We need to get out. We need to get out now," Jacob insisted.

I pulled away from him, trying to see the reason in his words. But I couldn't. I couldn't walk away from the Mooncreek.

"You can leave if you want, son. I understand that. This place doesn't hold anything for you. But this is my life. I've got nothing left," I said.

Jacob Cobb clenched his lip and shook his head in disgust.

"You're being played. The Mooncreek is going to be the death of you," he said and then waved his hand dismissively in my face. "You want this fantasy to be real so badly, that the Mooncreek will give you exactly what you want."

"But it's your funeral, not mine. I'm out of here."

I watched him walk down the steps of the theater and disappear as I slumped in the chair and thought about the events that had led me here.

I came here to fulfill a dream, but now I wasn't sure what that dream even was. I guess that's how dreams are though. You never know the beginning or the end. We're always in the middle. Dreams make us who we are, but we can never define them. Isn't that a paradox?

Somehow or another while musing over this, I found my way back to the loft and began to sift through things. I was searching for anything here amid the collection to spark a new clue into this.

Then I looked at Saunders diary. I had hardly been able to read most of it before. But maybe I hadn't tried hard enough.

I opened it up and then rummaged about for something amid the papers that I could use to copy down the parts of the writing I understood.

It amazed me that as I managed to study the brush strokes of Mister Saunders, I also found myself mimicking them. Eventually I was able to gather a picture of the events that led to the theater being shut down.

January 19 1988, the winter here is slow. But the work can't be impeded if we are to finish on time. Talerin suspects nothing. He believes that I have asked his daughter here under the pretense of having her as part of a film that is being managed by Mister Darcey. I understand now the charge that is to be made before me. This is the only way that things can be set right. Tonight, I will be luring the girl...

I felt a chill in the air as I read the ominous words. Then I looked up and saw that one of my windows had cracked open a tad. I moved to close it, and then stood still; seeing in the faint reflection a ghastly visage standing behind me. It was whispering strange words, that made sense in the cloudy parts of my brain.

Howard Saunders is a man that we made. It is the man you must become. We make your story. We make your purpose. the thing rasped in my mind. I considered turning to face it but it was upon me in a flash, and as it got closer I recognized it as the same older actor that I had seen in the film that same night.

Accept your story. Accept your dream. And let us in it whispered. It was soothing and calm and reasonable. I couldn't even imagine saying no. When I did, the spirit seemed to slowly faded into the ether; but as it did... I felt a heaviness on my chest.

I stumbled backward and found a seat amid the mess.

The pain only continued to increase. I placed my hand near to my heart and closed my eyes, breathing rapidly and praying to calm down. Then I looked up and I looked at the mirror.

What I saw seemed like a miracle. I looked like a younger man. Almost attractive.

I stood up and touched my skin, surprised to find my wrinkles gone. Then I looked at my hands and saw the same. I was made new again.

I stood up to take a closer look, wishing I understood what magic had made this possible and I found myself chuckling. It was the sort of laugh I hadn't found the courage to spit out for days.

But that laugh eventually turned to worry as I recalled Jacob's warning. you want this fantasy to be real so badly, the Mooncreek will give you what you want he had said.

I touched my skin again, wondering if that was what was happening here. No... this wasn't in my imagination. The things I experienced here were quite real. And I would be damned if I was going to simply step away now, when I was close to the answers.

I smiled at my younger reflection.

Maybe it was a fantasy? Maybe a little bit?

Is that really so bad?