For a big blockbuster movie that had most of Han Li’s peers chatting up a storm, there weren’t many people in the theater. Only a scattered few that included a small group of teenagers that wouldn’t stop whispering; a couple that had the top row all to themselves; and some old folk that have likely found themselves in the wrong room but were too lazy to move.

Maybe it was due to the time and date, Han Li thought. It had been ages since the last time he went to the movies.

An epic tale unfolded before his eyes, dragging him in with flashing lights and unrealistic depictions of battle. Han Li had almost forgotten how absurd live-action films seemed to him when he had lived a life in the figurative eye of the storm. It was like anime, but much worse because the actors were real until moments they weren’t, replaced with CGI models. All these minute details stuck out sorely to him, making him snicker at inappropriate times of the film.

But all in all, it was good fun. Maybe not his dream date, but it wasn’t bad. Still, Han Li couldn’t help but feel that there was a punchline he wasn’t expecting.

The credits rolled and the lights slowly came back on. He stretched lazily before glancing to his side where Graham remained statuesque, his expression betraying nothing.

“Graham,” Han Li chirped, nudging his arm for attention, “Did you even like the movie?”

Graham blinked. “Hm? It was good.”

“That doesn’t sound very convincing,” Han Li accused.

“The story was not original. Yet there’s something comforting about the classic tales of heroism.” Han Li could have sworn he saw the subtlest of smiles, “It takes me back. Should we make our leave?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah.” Where was that big reveal? Han Li was still waiting. So he followed Graham out like a baby duckling. Dazed, he was starting to believe this was all some weird convoluted plan to get under his skin, to make and doubt his character judging skills.

Maybe that was it.

But before Graham made his exit through the automatic sliding doors, he stopped. Han Li almost walked right into him. “What? Don’t just randomly stop, big guy, you’re going to create traffic!” Which would have been true anywhere else. But the theater was sparse and people didn’t have any problems detouring around the human roadblock, Graham Astley.

“I need to go to the restroom. Wait here.”

“Huh?” Abandoning Han Li right by the exit, Graham made his way back inside. Why couldn’t he have gone earlier?? Jeez, Han Li was starting to get a real headache being dragged around, left and right. He was left breathless and didn’t have any witty words to say anymore. Just that Graham was not as good of a date as people probably would have liked to think.

And so Han Li waited.

And waited.

And waited?

Was Graham taking a shit or something? Feeling impatient, Han Li took out his phone.

[ dont tell me u got lost on ur way to the toilet ]

[ you can ask people for directions too ]

[ I swear theyre helpful <.< ]

[ dont be a mule ]

[ that expression isnt too contemporary for you, right gramps? Stubborn as a mule…right? its pretty old fashioned :| ]

[ Graham? Heeelllloooo? Earth to sir graham ]

[ ok ignoring me is kind of getting old its not very tactful anymore ]

[ graham? ]

[ … ]

“…” Han Li scowled at his phone before pocketing it with a snarl. He stomped up to the nearest cleaner and asked, “Where’s the bathroom?”

A bashful girl pointed him to his destination.

It was late. Past eleven now and the cinema was as empty as ever, with employees picking up stray kernels of popcorn. The bathroom had a sterile scent, a light flickered above the row of urinals.

“Hello…? Anyone there?” Han Li’s voice echoed for no one in particular. There was not a single soul present. He could hear a toilet flushing on the women’s side though and for some reason that only served to add to the gooseflesh forming on his arms.

The hairs on the back of his neck were starting to stand as well. Was this some sort of horrible prank? Was this the punchline he was waiting for?

So Graham’s big plan amounted to ditching him at the movie theaters on a rainy Thursday night. Huh. Han Li would be more pissed if he wasn’t so busy being weirded out.

He stood outside the bathroom entrance, a hand ran through his hair as questions and indecision arose. Should he just…leave? Would that be rude? Well, it was already rude of Graham to have disappeared without a trace so…

A janitor’s trolley rolled out of the woman’s bathroom. Han Li perked up, almost expecting to see Graham with his janitor blues stroll up behind it.

But no, it was just that delinquent with his patchy dyed hair and washed-out tattoos. “What’re ya lookin’ at?” He spat at Han Li who flinched backward. His throat was going dry and his heart pressed against his chest.

He stared.

“I said, what’re ya starin’ at, you fucking brat?”

No, maybe Han Li was mistaken but that telltale sign of something thrumming in his veins had awoken, the amulet that pressed against his skin under his shirt was scorching hot. He could smell blood, burning, but that was likely just a memory.

The man, whose name tag read Rob rolled his eyes, “Fuck it, I don’ have time for shittin’ brats like you.” He pushed his trolley into a small alley, towards a back exit.

“Wait!” Han Li raced to grab the man’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t go out there.”

“The fuck? The man— Rob, his name was Rob (Han Li couldn’t stop staring at his name tag)— flung himself out of his grasps, “Touch me again, yellow-skinned monkey and I’ll have ta ruin that pretty lil’ face of yers.”

Rob pushed him aside. Han Li stumbled, dazed, only able to recover for a moment to see the man leaving through the back door. He had to give chase.

So why wasn’t he moving? No matter how hard he tried not to think about it, his heart was already pounding in his ears. The shiny glint of a golden name card and the face of a stranger he knew from ages ago infested his thoughts.

But that was William, not Rob.

William had nothing to do with Rob.

There was no reason to conjure the memory of William but Han Li couldn’t stop. The face of a middle-aged man with too much gel in his hair and teeth plastic white was already flashing in his mind, taking over his sense of reality.

William was a lawyer for the public sector. His suit had looked old, worn but didn’t boast a single wrinkle. He got caught up in some witches’ blood ritual because of his selkie lover which didn’t end well for him, or his entire law firm for that matter.

It’s funny how you remember the ones that die so vividly. Han Li didn’t even know William for more than thirty minutes. That was enough time for the man to run off into roaring flames, chasing after his selkie lover, branding his existence into Han Li’s mind forever.

William dropped his poised act when Han Li’s fangs had begun to show when his skin turned a bluish demonic hue. The lawyer went from licking Han Li’s boots to tossing him curses. “Your mother should have thrown you into the boiler—”

And just like that, Han Li watched the whole building crumble in flames. The witches, the selkie, and William too. Thirty-seven lives were lost that day, one hundred and sixty-eight injured. The only name that Han Li remembered was William.

All of which could have been avoided if William had just listened. If Han Li had just moved from the spot where he stood. If he hadn’t been so consumed by that feeling— ‘wrath’.

Now, those that came after William would be known as ‘William’ too. They were fools that chose fire over Han Li’s helping hand. Were they not the ones at fault? Yet Han Li was the one left haunted by the memories of a pristine golden name tag, ‘William’ pinned to an old off-blue three-piece suit. With it came a pungent smell of charred flesh, burnt blood that clung to Han Li’s tongue and throat, a nightmare that repeated without end.

Rob might as well be another William. There had already been so many, Han Li had lost count.

He startled out his thoughts, his heart ready to burst from crippling ache. He ignored it and charged out the back door.