When Ladders Traumatize

Part 2

It wasn’t long before he found a few cool places that were much cooler in temperature and had good historical value to keep his mind engaged. The broad range of history that shaped the character of the buildings made it feel more like time traveling between different eras of history. Eventually, one barn looking building caught his attention.

This building could easily fit inside an old Western movie just as it could the Civil War era. Parts of it reminding him of plantation life while others of bull fighting and rodeo conquering. Some of the old vintage billboards of the 50’s seemed to merge gracefully with the the styles of warmer easier time for some privileged parts of society. The barn like building also had modern attachments befitting tourists looking for a nice watering hole to relax in.

Taking an extended tour of the building, Bret explored everything. There was running climate control in the building yet it felt very cool and low humidity. Somehow the scent of manure did not enter the building. The largest room could have easily been the bull ring for some rodeo competitions years ago. That ring seemed to merge into what could have easily been a dance floor at one point in time. There were elements to the inside that reminded him of a stable too.

Stepping back out to take in the impressive view, Bret couldn’t help but be impressed with how cool the interior was without the help of climate control systems. It was the only building on the campus that felt so nice and cool. Why the organizers felt the need to host the whole venue in every building but this one was a mystery to him.

One of the staffers swung by with a group of teens and encouraged them to check out the loft in the building. Bret’s attention peaked. There was more to this huge barn like building that he hadn’t seen? Cool!

Following the group, Bret found himself soon off-center of the main space towards the side that could have been a bar at some point in the life of the barn building. Somehow he had missed this gleaming pristinely white new wooden ladder that rose vertically to an entrance in the ceiling he had not seen before. The ladder looked freshly painted, as in just brand spanking new wet paint new. It was the only new thing in the entire grounds of the event.

As Brett approached the ladder that lead to the loft, something weird shifted about his abdomen. His stomach turned into a horrible knot and pain sprang about him violently. Someone paused and asked him if he had scene a ghost. Before he could right himself and play off the pain, others started to gather and show classic horror movie fears. Many started to step away from the ladder.

The staffer, trying to be funny, said that the ladder had scared many a men in it’s life time. Maybe that was all that was holding Bret back. Two women showed up and tugged at his arms and escorted him out of the building. Expressions like “this has happened to other men” and “don’t worry, you’re not the first or last to get scared” just roiled his mood. He was instantly fine once outside. His pain was gone.

This was just a bit of gas or something. Nothing else. The building had been a lot of fun to visit. He would rather go check out the loft than return to a bunch of kids screaming and running around doing nothing.

Despite the women’s effort to keep him outside, Bret made his way back in and confidently marched towards the ladder. A small round of cheers from these teens bolstered his ego a bit. However, that was very short lived as he nearly tripped and fell in agonizing pain as he got close to the ladder.

Something about that pristinely white rickety vertical ladder was messing with him and he couldn’t figure out why. Trying to show no emotions, he laughed the pain off and moved towards the other side of the room. With each steps, his tummy felt considerably better. This was indeed creepy weired.

One of the gals said that if he’d go up, she’d go up and make out with him. With a casual smile, Bret waved off the offer. He was not here to hook up with anyone, let alone in a loft, but the idea did bring to mind the visual of taking Zoe up there and having her way with her.