A Night At The Museum

Timmy Gregson was excited. It was his last shift as a security guard at the museum before retirement, and he had worked really well to get to this point. It took him almost 5 years to complete his self defense course and an extra 2 years to complete his arsenal combat training. He knew that after all this training, he couldn’t let anyone down. He was entirely focused on getting his job done and getting it done right. After all he was 63 years old and this was the last time he ever had to lift a finger for somebody else. Still, he wanted to go out in style. Time to show these young people there’s still some fight left in me, he said to himself.

As it hit 9:00, Timmy reached the museum. Just in time, he thought to himself. He stopped his car and opened the door, taking a look at the old museum. It had been past its peak- Old stone walls that looked like they were about to crumble and weird stairs that were also made out of stone, but seemed to creak when you walked upon them. Timmy stared at the old building and slammed his car door. It seemed both him and the building had seen better days.

When Tim opened the entrance door to the museum, one of the other guards walked up to him. He had a brown handlebar moustache and thick rimmed glasses. Very thin and pale as well. He stuck his hand out and Timmy shook it. “Oh, hello there Mr. Gregson. Right on time I see. Your last shift as a security guard to I believe?” He said with a toothy grin. Timmy laughed and nodded. “Well look, after 30 years here, I trust you know how things work in this museum,” he chuckled once again, before handing him the keys and grabbing his coat. “It’s been an honour to work with you sir” the security guard said once again before shaking his hand for the last time and walking out the door. As Tim turned around to watch the guard walk off, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hello old boy, how are ya these days? Ready for your last night?” As he turned around he saw it was another security guard. He recognized him immediately. It was a friend of his, Jason. Timmy smiled and shook his hand. They made small talk for a while before Jason looked at his watch. “Well, I better get going around back,” Jason said. “Well, hope you have a good last shift. Don’t worry, just hang out the front here and if you need me I’ll be in my office around back. Not like anything’s gonna happen tonight. Nothing ever does.” And bellowing a throaty laugh, Jason walked up the stairs of the building and through the office door. Timmy yawned and took a chair from the pile stacked up in the corner.

Timmy sat there for hours, reading the same book over and over. His eyelids were getting very heavy and his yawns were becoming more constant. Gosh, This night is going forever, I can’t wait to get home and sleep… he thought to himself. Jason was right. Nothing DOES happen here.

However, his thoughts were soon silenced by a loud piercing scream that echoed through the halls. Timmy jumped in fright. Pulling out his torch and his gun, he shone the light round the room. “Anybody there?” He called. No answer. Suddenly another shriek. Timmy quickly turned around. He could swear that noise was coming from the office door where Jason was. He suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his neck prick up. He didn’t want to go in there, but from the looks of it, it seemed he was going to have to.

Timmy cocked up his gun and silently creeped up the stairs. It made a creaking sound as he walked and it reverberated around the entire museum. Timmy carefully gripped on to the handle with his sweaty hands and carefully opened the door. As he peeked round the corner, he noticed it led to a dark corridor. Plucking up the courage, Timmy opened the door up and peered down the corridor. Nothing could be seen whatsoever. Timmy shone his torch and got another fright. The piercing scream had come up again. Timmy aimed his gun at the darkness. As he stood there for a few minutes, he noticed no one was there. He then shone his torch down the corridor and quietly walked down there. As he reached the end, his neck hairs seemed to stand up on end again. He noticed the corridor led to another corner. Backing himself up against the wall, he looked down the side of the other corridor. There seemed to be a dim light glowing amongst the darkness. Timmy started to sweat. He was very afraid of what he thought had happened to Jason. Apart from himself Jason was the only other person in this whole entire building. So whatever went after Jason was probably after him next.

Timmy gripped his gun and swung round to face the glowing light. As he crept closer, he noticed where the light was coming from- Another wooden door. The light was dim and seemed to be floating at the window of it. Timmy really didn’t want to go in there. He just wanted to get out of the building quick, but something made him walk forward. He couldn’t help it. Like an irresistible force pulling him towards the light. As Timmy walked slowly towards the door, another piercing scream suddenly came from within its depths. Timmy gasped in fright. Whatever was in there with Jason was killing him. He couldn’t let a fellow security guard die. That just wouldn’t be right. Plus, it wasn’t a good last memory to have before reaching retirement. It was time to be brave. Timmy ran forward and kicked the door straight of its hinges. He aimed his gun and pulled the trigger. Firing 3 or 4 rounds off in front of him, Timmy didn’t look up once as he just continued to fire.

Silence filled the room as time seemed to stand still for a moment. Timmy looked up, just to see his wife fall to the floor covered in blood. Timmy’s eyes widened. Blood pounded in his ears. You just shot your own wife, he said to himself. How could you?
“Tim calm down!” Jason said to him walking carefully towards him. Tears started to form in Timmy’s eyes. Looking up, he saw Jason breathing heavily. “I just killed my own wife.” He said to Jason “I just killed my own wife.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it. Just calm down, you didn’t mean to. It was our fault. I should have told you about the surprise party. I’m really sorry.” Jason explained to him. Timmy fell to the ground. His knees gave way and he collapsed in a trembling heap, dropping the gun to his side. “Just relax. We have to get the cops in here, but it should be fine. You did it out of self defense.” Jason said as he took his phone out of his pocket. Timmy just knelt there next to his dead wife. He had committed murder, and he was in big trouble. Even if he didn’t mean to do it.

2 hours later…

The cops arrived and talked with Jason. Timmy just leant against the wall in horror, his head hung in shame. Suddenly a cop came up to him. “I know you didn’t mean to shoot her, but I’m going to have to take you down to the station. You know, just to answer some questions.”
Timmy looked up and nodded. He followed the guard to the car when Jason came up to him. “Timmy, don’t worry about it. You didn’t mean to kill her, I know you didn’t. It was a complete accident OK? I’ll meet you at the station.”  Jason said hurriedly. Timmy smiled weakly and got in the car. As he did though, a piece of paper dropped out of his pocket. As the cop closed the door and got in himself, Jason noticed the piece of paper. “Timmy you dropped this.” He said as he picked it up, but the car had already gone. Jason unfolded it and read it. He gasped in shock after reading just the first line:
SURPRISE RETIREMENT PARTY FOR TIMMY. ALL WELCOME

Jason’s hands started to shake as he looked up at the car. Just in time to see an evil contorted grin on the face of Timmy Gregson.