Hello everyone, again! Just a little story idea, prolly only a few chapters =) Hope you enjoy
Dedication: This story goes out to the ever faithful and wonderlicious Jadeykins! Enjoy my dear. please do =)
I do not own Hey Arnold, nor did I make up the goatman legend =)
She was conflicted in feeling as she sat stiffly in the car, keeping her breathing. It was stupid enough to have even agreed to come on this stupid outing, even more so to let herself get riled up as she often did. The only thing that made it worthwhile was the fact she was locked in a cozy truck cab with a cool breeze that heightened the cologne of her love, Arnold, as he sat within touching distance of her, peering intently out the windows with a mixed look of excitement and fear. She smiled in the dark as she watched him fiddling with the switch on the flashlight, the familiar feeling of completion tingling in her tummy whenever she was close to him.
"Have you seen anything?" he asked, turning to look at her.
"You honestly believe that dribble?" she responded, rolling her eyes. "Oh come on football head!" She immediately screamed as something collided with the truck. She responded by throwing herself against Arnold, breathing heavily. As they sat huddled together, hearts beating fast, the previous events flashed in her mind.
Helga sighed as she slid into the vehicle with Phoebe, snorting loudly.
"Don't be so sullen Helga. This could turn out to be a rather intriguing experience for us all. Plus, social meetings are fabulous and expected of society members our age."
"Gerald's going, isn't he?"
Phoebe blushed scarlet as she steered them down the slowly darkening streets, a nervous laugh escaping. "It's a possibility that certain classmates that we both have a fondness for might be there."
"So Geraldo," Helga replied bluntly, picking at a leftover piece of pepperoni that had somehow or other managed to lodge itself between her two front teeth. "I get it." She casually flicked her finger from her mouth, rubbing her fingers together.
Phoebe sighed as they continued on their way. "I wish you would show some sort of support, Helga."
"Geez, I am! I'm as supportive as a training bra!"
Phoebe clamped her mouth shut as they continued driving and Helga amused herself by shoving in her Ipod speakers to drown out her thoughts. It just irked her deep inside the Phoebe was making progress in a relationship with Gerald and Helga remained stuck in hers with Arnold. Which was at square one with a card that said 'Lose next turn-for life.' In a way, she was happy for Phoebe too, really. She was experiencing a beautiful thing, love. But it wasn't fair. She crossed her arms and sulked deeper into the passengers seat as she let Iron Maiden blast any coherent thought out of her mind.
She snapped to her senses as Phoebe shook her arm.
"We're here!" the Asian girl said pleasantly, adjusting her glasses in the mirror and dusting her blouse before stepping out of the car. Helga rolled her eyes and slid out of the car, taking in the gaggle of teens seated around the bonfire. Every so often, her classmates had a camp out/ bonfire out in the woods to gather, be social, and let off steam. It was no surprise she'd never been 'formally' invited before now. Phoebe, however, was alerted every time a get together occured, but had never gone before. This time, though, Gerald had done the inviting and it was no surprise she accepted. Of course, her first line of action had been to beg Helga to come along.
Phoebe clicked the lock button on her keys and the two weaved in and out of the cars parked at the tree line. A small, worn wooden sign indicated the path up ahead.
The two didn't say much as they walked, and it was alright. Helga hadn't bothered to tell her parents where she was going. She'd simply yelled "out!" before slamming the door. No one had bothered to chase her down, so if she turned up missing, that'd show them.
She and Phoebe trudged up to the clearing with the neatly arranged logs filled with faces. She noted Harold with a stick full of hotdogs shoved into the fire, Rhonda looking extremely out of place as she primped on a log and eyed Curly inconspicuously as he busily dipped his fingers into a mixture of ash and water to go about painting stripes on his cheeks. Stinky and Sid were seated to the back, locked in an intense conversation, the likes of which she didn't care to know. To her left, she spied Nadine crouched on the dirt watching some creature or other (it was hard to see in this light) crawl about its business. Then there was miss perfect herself, wearing a dark blue gingham dress she'd no doubt made by hand while scrubbing the feet of elderly woman and reading aloud to blind children. Helga snorted, not caring to make out any of the other faces.
"Hey Phoebe, Helga."
"Hey, Arnold!" Phoebe replied pleasantly as the boy passed by in front of the, arms loaded with flashlights.
"You guys can take a seat, it's about time," Arnold said with a wink as he continued on his way to a slapdash platform that was located straight ahead. It was only raised a foot or so.
Helga let out a sigh as she watched him carry the load over, her fingers itching to touch him. How hard would it be to just say, "Here! I'll help!" and kindly relieve his burden. He'd smile back and say, 'wow! Thanks Helga!' She'd laugh charmingly-
Her mistakenly out loud laugh died with a choke as Gerald let out an 'ahem' beside her.
"Fire…fumes," she fumbled before quickly seating herself. She didn't bother to listen as Phoebe and Gerald had a short conversation. She rubbed her exposed arms as she was wearing a short sleeved hunter green t-shirt. It was at least two sizes too big for her, as she had yet to become comfortable with her gangly teen body. She still did her hair in frizzy pigtails, and there was an awkward eruption of pimples that had exploded on her nose. She had a deep inner fear the one was just going to explode in class one day and be the new Vesuvius. It was gross and comical all at once.
The blonde started as Phoebe plopped down beside her, her face flushed and bright. Lucky little girl.
"Ladies and gentleman!" Sid began dramatically as he took the platform, arms raised. "And Helga," he added. Helga let out a deep grunt in response. "As is tradition!" he continued. "The legend of the goatman has been handed down from generation to generation, for as long as I can remember... which was about since I was three. Take it away, Gerald."
Applause erupted as Gerald took the stage, and he shushed it immediately with a wave of his hand. "Of all fantasy-creatures who is said to live in lonely, often romantic places, is the appalling and dangerous Goatman, a creature you should avoid at all costs. He is one of the most horrific monsters: half man, half goat. He appears on quiet roads, with a shiny axe that he uses for chopping up teenagers." A gasp erupted from the group.
"Typical," Helga laughed sarcastically. "Good thing we're all teenagers or this would be less exciting!"
Phoebe shushed her with a look.
"The police have always had problems catching the Goatman because his strong legs and endless stamina always allow him to get away. No one knows exactly where he came from. Legend has it that he is the result of a top-secret experiment, approved by Washington, D.C. and conducted by the local authorities. Something went tragically wrong.
"According to rumors, a scientist was conducting experiments on animals to improve human's physical abilities. Unfortunately, an experiment with a goat went horribly wrong. A power failure took place and a strange mix occurred. When the smoke settled, the scientist had become a monster, some part man, some part goat. Insane with disappointment and fear of what would happen to him, he ran screaming out into the night. The Goatman was loose...
"Because of his horrific look, the Goatman developed a special hatred for young, pretty teenagers and his life is now dedicated to killing them."
"Helga's got nothin' to worry about then!" Harold jeered from across the bonfire.
"Shove it lardo!" the blonde snapped fiercely as she jumped up. "Or you'll answer to Old Betsy!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Why you little-!" she snarled, hurdle jumping the teens in front of her. She was jerked to a halt as Arnold blocked her way, arms outstretched.
"Cool it, Helga."
She frowned, blue eyes flashing. "Oh really?"
"Yes, really," he replied, taking her wrist in his hand and leading her to an empty spot on the log near the platform. "Sit," he said, jerking her down.
"Some of his victims," Gerald began again, eyeing Harold and Helga with unhappy looks, "survive because they are in cars when the attacks occur. It appears the monster likes to jump up on the cars and scare the heck out of them. When particularly blood thirsty, he chops the tires so they can't get away. The evil creature then drags them with him, deep into the forest, where he consumes them with great pleasure.
"Maybe he is just a story to scare away young couples from places where they can be alone and make out. Or, maybe not. My advice: if you have to stop, lock your car doors, and look around for anything strange. Do not stop the car in the middle of the woods under any circumstances."
He then bowed his head as the applause and yelling exploded.
"You tell it Gerald!" Sid crowed, pumping his fists. "And for all you lucky little teens," he continued as he made his way to the pile of flashlights Arnold had deposited, "a flashlight. Most of us drove, and if you've kept up with the papers, articles say something is lurking out and about. Let's find it!"
Lila let out a delicate gasp. "But I'm ever so certain that isn't the best idea! What about the goatman!"
"Aww, don't worry none Lila, there aint nothing' gonna hurt ya so long as I'm around," Stinky called from the back. "You can ride with me!"
Helga observed Arnold's face fall a bit beside her.
Sid began tossing out flashlights. "Curly and Rhonda! Here, take it! Phoebe and Gerald, here ya go! Oh, don't drop it! Stinky and Lila, Eugene and Nadine, Helga and Arnold!" Helga immediately threw her hand up to catch the flashlight, turning to look at Arnold. "I didn't drive," she pointed out flatly.
Arnold sighed. "I did," he replied as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"Then lets hop to it, I wanna see me a goatman!" She cupped her first and yelled, "Though I'm sure he'd run from Harold if he saw him!"