Trap 2022

The comic book store was packed with back-to-back nerds in all shapes and forms.

I made my way to the middle shelves, which stacked all the nineteen forties comics with the cool ads for sea monkey families, x-ray glasses, and how to gain muscles like Tarzan. There was an entire section dedicated to bazooka bubble gum below that shelf. The aroma brought back so many memories; kids these days don't know what they're missing. It's the nostalgia that nearly did me in. My guard was down for a second, and the next thing I knew, every person, from the guys behind the counter to the patrons in the establishment, had their guns drawn on me. The chubby Hawaiian kid with the long hair and full beard comes around the counter until he's standing five feet away from me.

"You knew I was coming," I confirmed.

"We're not stupid," he countered. 

"So, what now?" I shrugged.

"We walk out, and you never see us again," he said.

"There's no back exit," I tried reasoning with him. Sort of my way of letting him know that I wasn't going down without a fight. 

"There wasn't a back exit before, now there is," he gestures with his head toward the back of the store, and everyone pushes past a shelf that opens to a dark corridor. Everyone begins to filter out until it's just myself and the chubby Hawaiian kid who now has his own piece pointing right at me. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a set of keys and tosses it to me. "Close up when you're done."

"That's it? No long speech? You're not gonna kill me?" I asked. A stupid thing to do because he fired one right past my ear. It gave him enough time to run out the door. I went after him, but he was gone, vanished almost. And that was it; the whole stopped no sooner than it started. They disappeared and melted into society, never rearing their ugly heads again. The fact that they are out there is what makes me nervous; that means they could strike again at any time, or perhaps they're preparing the next generation of random cursers? There's nothing to do but wait it out; I mean, that's one choice. Or, I can train my own select group of people to prepare for the next onslaught. Now, there's a thought.

Credit: Home At Last.wordpress

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17A Productions Presents

LOPAKA KAPANUI - CHICKEN SKIN GHOST STORIES

A storytelling concert at the historic Hawaii Theatre. This master storyteller is one of Hawaii’s most popular teller of tales and has been in the business of scaring people for more than 20 years. Lopaka is terrifically skilled at provoking that sudden chill going down one’s back or causing the small hairs on your arms to stand up. Chicken skin is what we call it in Hawai‘i. Others might refer to it as chills or goosebumps. Sharing real accounts of Hawaii’s supernatural culture, Lopaka often leaves audience members questioning the darkness on their drive home and anxiously leaving the light on at bedtime.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!