Funk-N-Fiction

One of my favorite stories from this year’s Halloween Flash Fiction event… this comes from Heather Graham, and includes SO MANY of my favorite “Halloween season” things. We’d love to hear about some of your favorite Halloween things in the comments! Fall festivals? Paranormal creatures? Dressing up?

Haunted, Haunted, Halloween!
by Heather Graham

I admit from the start—I’m one of those people who simply loves Halloween!

So, I was supposed to be going to the ‘Haunts of the Night’ set-up at the massive park south of Orlando with Jimmy Breslin, Tara Howard, and a few others that night, but as it turned out, the whole pack of them had to work! We were all students at the university in the center of the state and knew the area well. The park was huge—it offered a baseball stadium, footballs field, horse-riding, and more. But there was also a huge section that was basically a nature preserver, trails lines with trees, cool clearings where people could have picnics, and more. It was just a great park.

I decided to go on my own. I had put in extra time working the night before. And sure, Tara thought I was a bit crazy to be going to the “scariest Halloween event on earth” by myself, but . . .

Like I said. I love Halloween.

And it wasn’t a weekend night—that meant the park wouldn’t be overly crazy!

So, I set out. I had my ticket and got there just at dusk, right for opening. So, I had time. There were a dozen food vendors in the front, and I opted for a ‘Bloody Beef!’ hamburger and fries along with a ‘Blood Bag,’ you know, one of those things that they sell everywhere during the season, tomato juice and vodka. Personally, I thought that the term ‘Bloody Mary’ was good enough for the occasion, but, hey, whatever!

There were rides, but I realized that rides were a lot more fun with a group of people. So, decided that I would go on the haunted hayride because it would take through the trails where witches and ghouls and demons in costume made their living for the season by jumping out at people. And that was fun. I loved to see what people came up with to create scary creatures.

And . . .

It turned out to be a cool decision! Because when I boarded, I discovered myself next to a really nice guy. He bumped into me while trying to get a little girl—who turned out to be his niece—next to him. Dark hair falling over his forehead, a great face, strong jaw, beautiful dark green eyes. “I’m so sorry!” he said to me. “I’m Mike, by the way. Mike Laramie.

Well, naturally, I introduced myself. “Brianna,” I told him. “Brianna Johnstone.”

“Nice to meet you!” he said. “And this is Jessy, my brother’s daughter. She wanted to come so badly, and Sam has been deployed and Jessy has a baby sister at home, so . . . they said this was all right for kids her age.”

And little Jessy, looking around him told me, “And I love spooky! Oh, and don’t be afraid. The characters aren’t allowed to touch you!”

The driver took his seat in the little vehicle that pulled the hay wagon along.

“Enter if you dare! The Forest of the Damned!” he cried.

“I am not allowed to say that word!” Jessy told me, grinning.

And we were off. Mike and I got a bit of a chance to talk; he was employed at one of the local theme parks and had gone to the state university my friends and I attended, and he said that his time there had been great, and I told him that I was due to graduate the next year. He encouraged me to get a job where he was working—he’d be happy to help me, if I’d like.

Then the first ‘haunted’ creatures came out, a swarm of mummies making noises and pretending to reach for those seated up on the hay bales.

We all pretended fear and laughed. Then we entered the ‘movie zone,’ where the scariest killers from slasher films tried their attacks, with the driver going a little bit faster every time one of them came near.

Onward!

A swarm of zombies was followed by vampires, many of them thrilling the hayride audience as they dropped from the trees.

People around us were so nice. There were other kids about Jessy’s age, ten and twelve years old, and they were all having fun. The hayride had been a great decision, I thought. With Mike at my side, I didn’t feel that I had come alone. And even nicer—I thought that I might be seeing Mike again!

Then we entered the darkest part of the area, where the trees hugged the trail and grew so thickly that even the park’s lights did little to illuminate the shadows.

We heard a scream, and the hay wagon jerked to a stop so quickly that the wagon slammed into the driver’s vehicle.

“What the heck?” Mike muttered.

We heard a ferocious growl. And then it appeared, right at the back of the wagon.

It stood over six feet and appeared even bigger because it had massive shoulders and was very heavily furred. Its eyes glowed in a yellow-gold color that seemed tinted by a shade of red in the center.

Blood red.

“Werewolf!” someone called, laughing.

The thing growled again, and I knew the sound of it. And I knew.

Most such beings had learned that to survive, one made . . . changes. Changes in the way of living and existing and enjoying the modern world.

So . . .

It growled again. I could see that it was looking at a little girl who appeared to be about twelve, young, tender, and . . .

Delicious.

I didn’t dare wait any longer. I leapt down from my position on the hayride and accosted the creature just as he reached out, claws as sharp as razors, for the child.

“Don’t! What the hell are you doing?” I demanded in a fierce whisper.

His lips quivered as he sneered at me. “Eating!” it snapped.

“No, no you are not!” I assured him.

“Fine, what are you about twenty-one? Not so tender, but I will be happy to take you on as an appetizer!” he snapped. His mouth opened. His massive canines appeared.

“Hell, no, you won’t!” I assured him.

“And why is that?” he demanded.

“Because Wolfie, I’ve got your number. I happen to be a vampire, and I’ll be delighted to take you into the woods and prove myself!” I assured him.

“Vampire!” he scoffed.

And then I proved it. I showed him my fangs—and my strength. I was careful to keep my back to the hay wagon—I loved the world I was living in! I didn’t want it lost.

So, I grabbed one of his paws as I let my fangs drip, looking him in the eyes with a promise that I could take him.

The red went out of his eyes.

“Trees!” I said, and I dragged him back. Those on the hayride were clapping and laughing. I heard Jessy laughing and telling her uncle she’d had no idea that I was part of the show.

Of course, I’d never intended to be, but . . .

I dragged the werewolf into the trees where his fur receded, his eyes lost their glow, and he was just a teen-aged werewolf, back in human form.

And I gave him the riot act! He was going to get on the hayride with me; we were going to say that he was just a kid, rescued in the woods. All part of an act. And if didn’t, if he hurt anyone, if he caused any trouble—I would find him. Because, to a vampire, werewolf blood was especially tasty.

He agreed. As we came out of the woods, of course, we were greeted with spontaneous applause.

Well, the driver wasn’t clapping. He was muttering his anger with those in charge who didn’t tell him when an act had been added to the show.

The hayride continued and soon enough, it was over with everyone laughing and telling me how they’d had no idea I was part of the act and just how cool it had been.

All I could do was smile and say thanks.

I knew that the werewolf and I had to get out of the park. Mike asked me if I wanted to go on some of the rides with him and Jessy. I made up an excuse about a crack of dawn class, but . . .

He asked for my number. And he gave me his. And he smiled and . . .

I knew that I would see him. And, of course, I wondered if I’d ever be able to tell him the truth, that the creatures of many legends did exist, except most, like normal people, just wanted lives, love, work, children, fun times . . .

I got the werewolf out of the park with me and drove him home. “I . . . I just that at Halloween it would be okay just once . . .”

“No! It’s never okay. You will ruin everything for the rest of us! Do you understand? Because, so help me, if you ever do anything, I will know, and I will find you!”

“I won’t, I won’t!” he promised me. When I looked him hard in the eyes, I believed him. And I understood. It was difficult being a bit different and learning how to blend in with one’s class. But now, I believed he was going to be able to do so.

I left him and I went home. I was exhausted from the evening, and I went to sleep.

In the morning . . .

I woke up to something really wonderful. Mike had already sent me a text. “Dinner—your choice, your time!”

I smiled and started texting back.

I was ever so glad that I do love Halloween so very much!

Now, even more so than before!