Myspace has a page "Myspace Black Curtain" and every so often they open up a countdown to which you watch until the very end and click on when the countdown is over to RSVP to an upcoming movie. You will get to see it before it comes out to cinemas everywhere!

The last one was for 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince', so as you can imagine, I was going pretty mental for this as I am a pretty big HP fan. My friend actually told me about Myspace Black Curtain a week before the countdown was over.

In order to be in the running I quickly added them as a friend and watched that timer like a hawke. Upon closer to the finish I got worried that I might have to work and I would miss the RSVP when it opens; its open for a day or two, but you really have to be in first, my friend missed out and she msged straight away- so after double checking that I was completely free I went back to my normal life, while making little updates on the countdown.

Eventually, the day came. It was a Friday afternoon, I previously calculated that the timer would be up at 4pm, my computer was up and running at 2pm. To everyone else it appeared I was watching a movie, but my focus was entirely on the receeding number flashing on my screen.

By 3pm, I was going slightly mad, so to calm my nerves I went and made myself a sandwich and coffee. I decided to eat in the kitchen in order to keep my sanity slightly. Of course I was watching the time out of the corner of my eye while staring stupidly at the fridge.

Things took a turn for the worse after I had consumed my afternoon meal though, I was panicking and out for blood! Freaking out I started checking things, talking to myself; "Oh what if the times have changed?", "Did the clock stop?", "Maybe I got the days wrong and it wasn't today.", "What if my computer crashes?"- and that was it, that last question took away my last shred of decency, intelligence, sanity and common sense.

I rushed back to my laptop sitting blissfully unaware on my coffee table and my eyes bored into it and I was asking; "You better not crash on me! You better not have been lying to me all this time!" I'm not sure what I was expecting, it to talk back to me tell me; "Relax Tara, I'm ok, chill the fuck out. I'm never wrong (big smiley face pops up on screen)". However, my laptop has disappointed me on many occasions, so I wasnt going to take any risks for Harry Potter! I checked everything three times over, then I thought of something to do just to make absolutely positively sure that it was not messing around. I was going to refresh the page.

My heart was pounding in my ears, a bead of sweat dripping down my chin and my breathing was so deep I sounded like a chain smoker. Edging my touch pad closer and closer to the refresh button. I said a little prayer before I clicked it, looked up to the heavens and begged for mercy. And clicked. Those 6.83 unsure seconds, were the most terrifying thing I've ever endured. Everything stopped, my breathing my heart, running water from the my mother doing the dishes, the small child riding a bike outside, the dog down in the park jumping to catch a frisbee, they all froze for those crucial seconds.

When the page came back up I had a mind numbing sensation, everything went back to normal, but I had just had an outer body experience. Everything was ok and for the rest of the countdown, I didn't take my eyes off that screen. By the time the moment came everything seemed to speed up, I forgot who I was, mum came in and out of my room in a flash and I was counting down the last 10 seconds; "10, 9, 8, 7 omg it'd here! It's happening, 4, 3, 2, 1!" My finger slammed down hard on the RSVP button and I was shouting "Come on laptop you can do it!" The code came up, and as if I were some sort of ninja I texted, quadrupal checked the spelling and the number and hit send!

A mixture of feelings came to me, accomplishment and fear. Thinking back to the week I had, I laughed at how utterly insane I had been. Then I realised something, and started talking to myself again; "What if I didn't get the tickets? What if I texted wrong, or the the wrong number?" Having yet another mental breakdown, it was 20 minutes before they replied. When I heard my phone beep, I didn't look at it straight away, I breathed, closed my eyes and extended a profusely shaking hand towards my phone. One last breath and I opened the msg. A wave of confusion sourrounded me; "Msg unable to download? What the hell? Please dont do this to me, not now. NOT NOW!"

How could life be so cruel as to embark me on a journey like that with and outcome like this? Needless to say I was freaking out yet again, only this time rage fuelled me. I called up my friend; "Vennisa! I got a reply but my phone won't download the msg! What do I do? Did you get a msg back?", "Tara calm down, just message them on Myspace and ask them", "Alright, alright, you're right. Hey text me when you get a response from them yeah?", "Ok will do."

How could she be so bloody cheery? This was driving me mad, but I did was she told me to do. I messaged them. I was about an hour before they replied. How could they do this? We are talking about Harry Potter here, you don't do this to fans, they are fragile! The message read as followed:

"hey tara

we'll need to check you number against the ticket list. will have this on Wednesday so please contact us again then.

black curtain :=)"

Wednesday? WEDNESDAY! You have got to be kidding me, they are going to keep me in the dark for 5 days!!! In my enraged state I dismissed the whole thing and went back to my movie, during which, Vennisa responded saying she didnt get the tickets. At this point I was no longer worrying, no longer caring. Anger and sadness took over my soul.

The 5 days came and went, Vennisa kept reassuring me though; "Listen, you'll probably get them, because when I went to the 'Twilight' one the txt was a downloadable one!"- I just ignored her attempts to cheer me up and let the depression have me until Wednesday, in which caseif I did get the tickets I guessed I'd be back to normal, and if I didn't, well, that outcome is a bit hazey.

Sluggishly I went to the computer on Wednesday night after work, opened the page and opened my inbox -all in a robotic motion- which now contained one new message. And that message was this:

"your ticket number is 68. Please quote this and your mobile number at the registration desk to gain access to the screening. Please print this email and bring it with you as well.

black curtain :=)"

I went into shock, I simply could not believe that I had the ticket! "I didnt get it did I?" I said to myself. "No, I cant have, I'll call Ness to be sure." Then I picked up the phone and dialled. After repeating the message to her, a very loud scream came out the receiver which sent me deaf. According to her knowledge, I got the tickets!

A new sensation came across me, overwhelming happiness. I looked up at the ceiling and mouthed; "Thankyou"- to the gods, planted a smile on my face that would last for days and said; "Ness, I'll see you on the 15th, we're going to see Harry Potter."

The End