The town was far removed from the problems of the big city. What minor crime occurred in the sleepy hamlet was of the misdemeanor variety. Boys dreamed of running away from the community, while the girls dreamed of marrying the local boys and running off with them. That night was no different than the tens of thousands of proceeding days. The local movie theater ran features on both screens, with two showings of each movie on weekends. After all, it was Saturday.

The young projectionist locked the doors once everyone left and surveyed the parking lot as the owner drove off, tossing him a wave. The projectionist turned into a...