The year is 1989. You're a 12-year-old ${Mainsex} and you're visiting the local video store with your ${Relativesdnoun} ${Kindredname}. You love spending one-on-one time with your ${Relativesdnoun} because you think they are the coolest person you know. Honestly, you've started to develop a bit of an innocent crush on them.
You especially enjoy your weekly movie nights, when you get to sleep over at your ${Relativesdnoun}'s house and spend the evening watching the latest releases. That's another cool thing, they practically let you rent whatever movie you want - it doesn't matter if it's a Disney film or the latest R-rated blockbuster - if you want it, ${Kindredname} will rent it.
You've just arrived at the video store, rolling up in your ${Relativesdnoun}'s '81 Mustang convertible. It's a locally owned store, not one of the big chains that only offers a limited, sanitized selection of films. 'Pete's Home Video Rental' always carries a fair number of first-run films, a healthy smattering of direct-to-video B-movies, and a treasure trove of extra-low budget, independently distributed flicks.
You both excitedly rush into the store, anxious to find the perfect film for the evening. It's always an adventure, searching through the racks and racks of VHS tapes, studying the box art, reading the summary, and ogling the pictures on the back of the box, hoping to find the one that connects with your current mood.
You're hoping tonight you'll be extra lucky with finding something special since the place looks deserted. You glance around quickly, noting that there's only one another person in the store and that's Shelia, the teenage cashier. She's usually the only employee working anyway. She flicks through a magazine while blowing bubbles with her chewing gum and bobbing her head to the music blaring from her Walkman headphones. She's in her own little world.
You grab your ${Relativesdnoun}'s hand and pull them toward the newest releases, your heart pumping excitedly. There are so many new selections, as well as a few old ones you've yet to screen. Unfortunately, it appears you're still a bit too late. Most of the VHS boxes sit flat against the display wall, their rental boxes missing. "Aliens", gone. "Robocop", gone. "Predator", gone. Even a few of the ones you're not so keen on seeing have already been nabbed - "Lost Boys", "The Thing", and "Innerspace" all have their boxes sitting alone on the wall.
You sigh sadly, looking up to your ${Relativesdnoun}, "Dang, looks like we missed the good ones."
${Kindredname} smiles at you, "No worries, ${Maincharacter}. There are plenty of other movies we can pick from. I'm sure we'll find something that we'll like!" ${Kindredname} pats your back gently.
You nod and begin walking around the store, examining various genres. Action, comedy, drama, nothing catches your eye. You feel like you've seen most of these, and while good, you don't feel like sitting through them again. Even with your ${Relativesdnoun} cuddled under a blanket with you.
"What about this one?" ${Kindredname} asks, holding up a copy of "Back to the Future".
"Oh, that's a really good one," you say, chewing your lip. No, that won't do. You've already seen it twice. You shake your head, "I think we've seen that too many times already."
${Kindredname} glances at the cover, reflecting on the last few movies you've rented. "Oh, right. I think we watched it last month," she says placing it back.
You're lost in thought, trying to remember the last few films you've watched together when you turn the corner of an aisle and come face-to-face with the 'Forbidden Red Curtain'. It drapes from ceiling to floor, a thick, plush velvet with gold fringe around the bottom. There's a couple of signs pinned to it, one that reads 'Adults Only!' and another that has 'XXX' across it.
You stop and stare at the curtain, your mind running wild with what could be hidden behind it. You asked your ${Relativesdnoun} about it once before and they simply said it was a special area just for adults, with movies made just for adults. Having been allowed to watch almost everything else in the store, you had asked if you could pick out one of those films. ${Kindredname} had responded with a laugh, saying, "I don't think your parents would like that very much."
You found it very perplexing as to why you couldn't. You pressed for more information but your ${Relativesdnoun} grew uncomfortable and kept trying to change the subject. Whatever was back there had to be pretty bad, considering you've seen all manner of violence, nudity, and adult situations in the other films you've rented.
Your curiosity gnaws at you. Quickly, you glance over your shoulder to make sure your ${Relativesdnoun} isn't close by. Not seeing them, you lean forward and peek behind the Forbidden Red Curtain.
It was a relatively small area but lined with countless VHS cassette tapes, almost a limitless bounty of never before seen videos! That's when you notice some of the posters on the wall advertising a few of the films...