Eternity
“Someone remind me again. Why are we doing this?” Honey asked with good humor as she adjusted the fake bolt glued to her neck.
“Because our parents asked us to help,” her brother Jim answered. “And because the proceeds from this haunted house will provide a lot of books for the Toys for Tots Literacy Fund.” He patted her shoulder. “So suck it up Ms. Frankenstein.”
“I’m the bride of Frankenstein,” Honey retorted. “I don’t think we’re married yet, so I’ll need a different last name.”
“Actually,” Brian interjected, resplendent in an over padded suit and the green makeup synonymous with the aforementioned monster, “I believe that you are the bride of Frankenstein’s monster. The monster wasn’t named Frankenstein, the doctor who created it was. Mart will back me up on that.”
“Indubitably, my dear brother, you are correct.” Mart made his reply clearer by pulling aside a bit of the muslin wrappings that comprised his mummy costume. “Dr. Frankenstein created the monster; therefore, if you are representing Frankenstein, you should be wearing a lab coat instead of your current garments.”
“I like that idea,” Brian admitted. “This green makeup is a little itchy.”
“You should talk,” Dan grumbled, shooting Jim a resentful glare. “This hair is going to drive me crazy.” He scratched at a tuft of hair glued to his left cheek, and bared his wolf teeth at Honey.
Tessa cut in. “Well, I think we all look great. It was swell of Aunt Lainie to hire that makeup artist. This is going to be a wonderful haunted house.”
“I agree.” Trixie spoke up for the first time since putting on her costume. “This is actually comfortable.” She spun around, the folds of her empire style dress swirling with her.
Diana mimicked Trixie’s spin, her Egyptian-style fitted linen costume not swishing quite as much. “Oh well,” she sighed, her mouth quirking impishly, as she fingered one of her many bracelets, “I got the good jewelry, at least.”
Jim flung his red lined vampire cape over his shoulder, and slipped on his fake canines. “These are pretty comfortable,” he remarked, sliding his tongue across the tooth caps.”
“That’s because you only have to wear one set,” Dan growled. “I have uppers and lowers. Maybe we should trade.”
Jim’s face reddened under his white makeup. “We should go,” he said shortly, extending his arm to Trixie. “We don’t want to be late.” With that, he moved quickly towards the door.
As the rest of the gang followed, Diana grabbed Tessa’s arm. “What’s up with Jim and Dan?” she asked. “I thought for a minute that Dan was going to go full-out werewolf on Jim.”
Tessa smiled. “He won’t,” she assured Di. “Dan’s got the wolf on a leash. He’s just irritated because Jim pulled a fast one on him.”
“Jim? Mr. Honorable? What did he do?”
“Well, Aunt Lainie assigned us our costumes. First, she had me as the werewolf victim and Trixie as the vampire victim--but she had Jim as the werewolf and Dan as the vampire. Jim convinced Dan to switch costumes so he could be with Trix, and I could be with Dan -- but he sort of didn’t tell Dan about the costume details.”
“Uh-oh!”
“Yep.” Tess grinned. “It’s his own fault for not paying attention, though. Dan’s just giving Jim a hard time. He’s okay, under all that hair.”
“That’s good.” Di squeezed Tessa’s hand. “I’d hate to see any real blood at this event.” With a shared giggle, the two hastened to catch up with the others.
They made for quite the sight, tromping through the woods toward the Country Club’s Spooktacular Haunted House. Madeleine Wheeler had hired talented artists to dress her volunteers. Mart’s mummy wrappings were secure, and weathered to look ancient. The bits of flesh that appeared through strategically placed holes had been made to look dried and mummified. Diana’s Egyptian look, complete with cream linen dress, heavily made up eyes, flowing hair, and detailed jewelry made her look much like a young Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra.
The other girls’ costumes were equally matched to their counterparts. Brian’s Frankenstein monster towered above the rest, thanks to the platform boots he wore. His makeup was precise and detailed, not a spot of tan skin was uncovered, and the stitch marks and scars had been painted with painstaking expertise. Honey was equally perfect as the monster’s bride. Her long hair had been upswept and shellacked into place, before being sprayed with black hair coloring. Her makeup was more subtle, her skin an ashen gray with the faintest hint of pale green, deep bruise circles under her red lined eyes, and gray lipstick covering her mouth. Her long, white gown draped from her shoulders like a Roman toga, and was cinched at the waist with a wide, silver sash, before flowing like water to the tops of her leather sandal covered feet.
Trixie was also wearing white. A white chiffon, empire dress, with short puffed sleeves and a deep blue ribbon sash. Sapphire ribbons trimmed both the sleeves and hem of the dress, as well as decorating her carefully styled blond curls. She looked every bit the angelic miss--save for the two small holes marring her collarbone. The tiny bruises had been carefully drawn to match the bite range of Jim’s vampiric teeth. He was in full vamp mode. White faced, red-rimmed eyes, his red hair slicked back and his supple body encased in full tails, high, polished black boots, and black cape. A thin trickle of blood had been painted on the side of his mouth to complete the illusion.
The only ones not wearing costumes of a particular era were Dan and Tessa. Tessa was dressed as the prom queen, in a long, ivory formal, tiara and sash. Dan was the prom king gone wild. The makeup artist had had far too much fun gluing hair to Dan’s face, neck, wrists and ankles. Two sets of tooth caps covered both his upper and lower teeth, turning them into savage fangs. Even his ears had been covered by pointed wolf prosthetics. He wore the remains of a tux, tufts of wolf hair poking through the shredded parts, and the prosthetics covering his hands were gnarled and tipped with four inch claws. As they walked, he would absently use the claws to scratch a particularly itchy spot on his neck.
By all accounts, the Spooktacular Haunted House was a rip-roaring success. For six hours, a steady stream of guests walked through the darkened halls, experiencing thrills and chills as monsters appeared and disappeared. They leapt in shock as the wolf man savaged the prom queen, gasped as the mummy chased the pharaohs daughter, gazed in humorous horror as Dr, Frankenstein’s monsters grunted their vows, and sighed in a mix of fear and envy as the Count drained his love of her humanity, making her his for eternity.
As for the players in the show, they enjoyed themselves immensely, throwing themselves whole-heartedly into their roles. Perhaps a bit too whole-heartedly it was observed later, and the eight actors sat around the Lynch family recreation room, comparing experiences.
“I swear I’m going to have a real bruise under the makeup one,” Trixie complained. “The last couple of times Jim bit me, I think he actually bit me.”
“I did not,” Jim protested, casting a wary glance at Brian. “But I think I hit you with my chin when the strobe went off. I did say I was sorry.”
“Yes you did.” Trixie smiled up at her vampire. “I was just kidding.”
“Well, I have proof,” Tessa said with a giggle. “I have claw snags all over my dress from the savage wolf.” She lifted up a section of her dress, showing a series of small rents and tears. “It’s a good thing I don’t need to actually wear this to prom. It’s ruined.”
“It’s not my fault these things are sharp,” Dan defended himself, wiggling his claws. “At least I kept the tears to the dress.”
“True,” Tess assured him. “I escaped your wolfly caress with nary a scrape.” She leaned over and kissed his hairy chin. “How about we get you out of this mess?”
“Please.” Dan used his right hand to tug at his left. Nothing happened, the prosthetic didn’t even budge. “Hey! A little help here. I’m stuck.”
Brian tried to pull off the clawed hand without success. “It is really stuck,” he said.
Dan cast an evil glare at Jim and muttered under his breath, “You so owe me for this, Frayne.”
Jim swallowed hard. “It isn’t stuck,” he informed Dan. “It’s glued. You need to get the glue remover. You put that on, it dissolves the glue, and you’re free.”
“Great. Where’s the glue remover stuff?” Dan looked around at the others.
“Uh...” Honey worried her lower lip. “I think it’s still at Manor House. I was going to put it in my overnight bag, but then I got distracted with the makeup...”
Dan groaned. “Swell. So I either have to take a half hour walk to Manor House--at dark-o’thirty, or I have to sleep in monster mode. Just. Swell.”
“Oh, stop whining!” Tessa thumped her boyfriend on his unusually hairy chest. “Di, do you or your mom have any of the stuff for taking off fake nails?”
“Mummy might,” Diana replied. “I can check her bathroom. Why?”
“Because I think the stuff they used to glue Grumpy here into his costume is the same stuff they use to glue on nails. So...”
“Ah. So, the stuff they use to take off the nails would work on Dan.” Diana nodded. “That makes sense.” She stood up. “Why don’t the two of you come up with me? That way, if I find it, we can try it out right away. The rest of you can put in a movie or something. I’ll ask Harrison to bring in the food.”
“Thank you, my dulcet darling,” Mart said, rising to kiss Diana’s hand. “I was about to waste away to nothing but mummified flesh.”
“That’ll be the day,” Diana giggled, giving a tug on one of Mart’s linen strips. “You all get started. We’ll be down as soon as we free Dan from the clutches of the Wolfman.”
The five original Bob-Whites filled their plates with food, and popped in a copy of Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein. Trixie snuggled up to Jim, but her mind was not on the movie. “I’m not really in the mood for a movie. Do you want to go for a walk or something?”
“Trix, it’s ten-thirty and pitch-black dark.” Jim looked at her incredulously. “Where on earth would we go?”
“True.” Trixie sat back, her lower lip protruding slightly. “Do you want to tell me why Dan’s so ticked at you?”
“No. Not really.” Jim looked away nervously, his eyes focusing on the television screen.
“What did you do?” Trixie narrowed her eyes.
“Why do you think I did anything?” Jim asked.
“Because you look embarrassed every time Dan says anything, and you’re hedging.” Trixie poked him. “Spill it. What gives?”
With a sigh, Jim turned to face her. “I convinced Dan to change character assignments with me so I could be with you. I didn’t mention that it meant he’d have to be the Wolfman.”
Trixie’s blue eyes went wide. “So you tricked him?”
Jim had the grace to look sheepish. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I tricked him.”
“But...but why?” Trixie was confused. “I mean, I’m glad I was with you, but what was the big deal?”
Jim bent close to her ear so that no one else could hear. “Because the idea of anyone...anyone else with their hands on you, or their mouth near you, drives me insane. Even if the anyone is head-over-heels for someone else. I can’t stand it. ”
“Oh.” Trixie’s face wore an unusually dazed expression as Jim’s words sank in. “Oh,” she said again. Gathering her wits, she gave Jim a brilliant smile. “Well, I guess Dan will get over it, right?” Without waiting for an answer, she leaned her head against Jim’s shoulder with a contented sigh, and turned her attention back to the movie.
“It’s no use. The stuff must be different, because it just didn’t work.”
Tessa’s voice drew Trixie’s attention from her drowsy interest in the movie. “Hmmm, “she thought, “I must have dozed off.” The movie had been switched from Frankenstein to Dracula. Shaking free from the cobwebs, Trixie focused on her cousin.
“Dan’s really uncomfortable, so we’re going to hike over to Manor House and get him out of his fur.”
Brian protested. “Tess, it’s almost midnight. Wait until Mr. and Mrs. Lynch get home, and then you can get a ride over.”
“Bri, the benefit won’t be over for another couple of hours.” Tessa looked pointedly at the clock, and then at her cousin. “You’ve already managed to get rid of most of your monster, don’t make Dan suffer any longer. I think the glue is causing some sort of skin reaction.”
At the mention of a medical issue, Brian jumped up to check the stoically quiet Wolfman. Carefully he examined Dan’s neck and wrists. “You might be right. Why don’t I walk over with you two?”
“I’ll go.” Mart rose from his place in the bean bag chair. “I’ve got a few pieces of mummy wrap that I wouldn’t mind getting unstuck.”
“Are you sure?” Brian still looked worried.
“We’ll be fine,” Dan spoke for the first time. “The moon is full, so it’s almost like daylight out there, and it isn’t like we don’t know the path. Besides,” he added, “I left my truck over there, so I can drive us back. I just really want out of this costume.”
“Sorry about that.” Jim joined the others. “Look, go, but just call when you get to the house, okay? So we know you made it.”
“Will do.” Dan reached for Tessa’s hand. “Does anyone have a flashlight?”
“I’ll get one,” Diana offered. Mart followed her out of the room. When they returned a few minutes later, he carried two flashlights and a small battery operated lantern. Well equipped, the trio set off for the Manor House. Diana curled up in the bean bag chair Mart had vacated, while Jim and Brian returned to their respective cuddle spots on the couches. On screen, Dracula turned into a bat, his silhouette a creepy shadow on the face of the full moon. A wolf howled, and Trixie shuddered.
Another howl shattered the night, but this one didn’t come from the television. Startled, Trixie and Honey both jumped. A third howl, this one louder, was followed by a short, terrified scream, and a muffled shout. And then, the night went still. The only sound was from the flickering television. Jim moved quickly to silence it.
“Wh... what was that?” Honey asked, her hand clutching at Brian.
Diana sat, rigid and quiet. Then, she exploded from the chair, screaming, “Mart!” as she ran for the door. The others caught up with her at the end of the drive, where the road split off into the preserve. It wasn’t difficult to catch her. Diana had collapsed in a heap, her hands clawing at the ground. Trixie looked closely, and fell to her own knees. There, scattered carelessly on the cold ground were recognizable pieces of the costumes Dan, Mart, and Tessa had been wearing. A tuft of hair, looking as though it had been ripped from unwilling skin, a shredded strip of Egyptian linen, a crushed tiara, its center jewel dangling like an detached eyeball, and all around, droplets of blood. The small lantern lay on its side, illuminating the remnants.
“What happened?” Trixie asked, her voice hoarse.
“It’s got to be some sort of trick,” Brian whispered. “They’re pranking us, right?”
“They wouldn’t do that,” Honey said, her voice tremulous. “Would they?”
“Not like this,” Jim answered. “Not like this.” He looked at the droplets of red. “Is that...?”
Brian took a handkerchief from his pocket and dipped it into one of the small puddles. Raising it to his face, he sniffed. “It’s blood,” he said grimly. “I don’t know if it’s animal or human, but it’s definitely blood.”
“We have to find them,” Diana cried. “We need to find them, now.”
“We need to call our parents and the police,” Brian disagreed. “Besides, you aren’t dressed to search the woods. Jim and I’ll go.”
“You mean you and my brother are going to leave us alone, while you search the woods?” Honey was incredulous. “Are you insane?”
“She’s right.” Trixie rose from the ground, still clutching the linen scrap. “Brian, you take Honey and Di back to the house and call for help. Jim and I will start searching.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Brian told her. You aren’t dressed for searching.”
“Actually, I am.” Trixie turned to Jim. “May I borrow your pocket knife?”
Jim looked confused, but acquiesced. Trixie grabbed a handful of skirt, mid-thigh, and stabbed the knife through it. Tearing quickly, she managed to remove the lower half of her skirt, revealing a pair of white leggings. “I told you this was a comfortable costume.” She handed the ragged remains of her skirt to Honey, and picked up the lantern. “Let’s go.”
Brian gave in gracefully, trudging back toward the house with a mute Di and semi-hysterical Honey in tow. Jim grabbed Trixie’s hand, and they entered the woods.
The full moon shone down, but the thick cover of trees deflected much of its light. The lantern tried valiantly, but it was too small to be much help. Frustrated, Trixie and Jim were forced to give up. The blood stains ended a few feet into the woods, and they could find no evidence of a struggle. It was if their three friends had simply vanished into thin air. Resigned, they made their way back up the drive.
The house was dark when they arrived. An ominous sense of dread settled heavily in Trixie’s stomach. Brian should be here, with Honey and Di. They should be getting help. Where are they?
“Where are they?” whispered Jim, his words echoing Trixie’s thoughts. She shook her head, as she had no answer. Stepping into the entryway, her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground.
“Ow!” Trixie exclaimed. Jim extended his hand to help her up, and she took it. Her right hand was wet, and she raised it toward her face, sniffing a coppery odor. “Jim?” she whispered hoarsely, “I think I slipped in blood.”
Jim’s response was to fumble along the wall for the light switch. He found it, and the lights came on, dimly lighting the scene. Trixie looked at her red smeared palm and tried to stifle the scream longing to escape. She managed to constrain it to a whimper, “No. No. No. No!” She felt Jim’s arms around her shoulders as he pulled her close.
Honey’s silver belt hung from the wall. It had been tacked there with one of the bolts from Brian’s Frankenstein costume. On the floor, next to Harrison’s bowler hat, Diana’s golden ahnk necklace swam in a puddle of blood. Trixie squeezed her eyes shut. “No. No. No. No!” She barely felt Jim pulling her away from the carnage and back into the recreation room.
“Shhh. Shhh, baby, it’s okay. It’s all going to be fine.” Jim’s whispers finally broke through, and Trixie gazed up into his face.
“How can it be fine?” she nearly screamed. “They’re all dead, and we’re alone with some crazed killer! It’s not going to be fine. We have to get out of here.”
“No we don’t,” Jim soothed, his voice velvet. “We’re alone, together, just the way I planned.”
“You planned?” Trixie stared at him. “You planned this?”
“Of course,” Jim assured her. “Just us. No annoying sister or brothers. No friends always watching our every move. Just you. Just me. For eternity.” He smiled, showing his teeth.
“I...I thought you took off the caps,” Trixie stuttered, wanting to pull away, but unable to move.
“I don’t need caps,” Jim said, smiling wider. “I have all my own teeth.”
“You...you’re...a...” Trixie couldn’t say it. She just stared in horror as Jim’s green eyes slowly turned blood red.
“Vampire.” Jim moved closer. “I told you years ago, remember. Everyone knows that vampires are redheads.”
“I thought you were kidding.” It sounded weak, even to Trixie.
“I wasn’t kidding. And I’m not kidding now. It’s time, Trix. Time for us to be together. Forever!” He drew back his upper lip, exposing fully his fangs, and dropped his head toward her neck.”
Instinct kicked in. She wasn’t some namby-pamby girly-girl. She was Trixie Belden, and this was NOT how her story was going to end. As Jim leaned in, Trixie let fly with her small right fist. It connected with a resounding thwack, and consciousness faded as the blood began to pour.
“OW! Dang it, Trix! What are you doing?” Jim Frayne stepped back from his wife, one hand cupping his bleeding nose. “I think you broke my nose!”
“Jim?” Trixie leapt from her chair. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I was dreaming, and...did I really break your nose? Let me get you some ice.”
“No, you just bloodied it.” Jim followed his wife as she ran to the kitchen. “That must have been some dream.” He took the towel wrapped ice pack and held it to his nose.
“It was. I dreamed that you were a homicidal vampire who killed all of our family and friends so we could live together without interference.” Trixie looked at him with chagrin. “It was very realistic.”
“Trix, Halloween isn’t until tomorrow. Have you been hitting the candy stash?”
“Maybe a little,” she admitted with a grin. “But what else is a girl supposed to do on a cold autumn night, when her handsome husband is away on business? Eat candy and watch the Monster Mash Marathon.”
“Chocolate and monster movies are a bad combination for you,” Jim answered, his tone more amused than not. “Besides, your husband is home. So what’s a girl going to do now?” He wiped the last of the blood from his face, and set the ice pack on the counter.
Trixie Belden Frayne gazed up into the green eyes of the man she had loved for more than half her life. He smiled, and his teeth were smooth and straight. She smiled back at him. “I can think of a few things,” she said, reaching for his hand. “But if your eyes turn red, all bets are off.”
Jim laughed all the way up the stairs.
Author’s Notes
This was my offering for the 2008 Halloween Challenge. It has absolutely no socially redeeming value, but I had fun writing it and I hope you had fun reading it.
