SPOOKY TALE
"Oh! My god. Castle. You can't be scary everyone with that weird tale of yours." His wife said sitting near the fire place inside of the cabin in the Catskills and Mountain Star Lodge.
"What do you mean I can't?" He said to Beckett, Lanie, Jenny and Ryan for the joint camp out. Leaving Reece home with Alexis and Martha. While Sarah Grace and Nicholas with the baby sitter for this special Halloween get together.
Instead of the usual Halloween party at the loft. The last 15 years or so. Richard Castle and his friends from all of the connections he achieved from his novels.
This year he decided. He would try something different for a change. Even though giving everyone to discuss or rather use their imagination to come up with spooky tales or anything that just might scare the group.
"Its why are we here in the first place?" He said with irritation in his voice. Before moving away sulking some what. Only to be using this tactic to have everyone think differently, including his own wife.
"Good question Rick. It was your suggestion any way. While getting everyone to agreed to come here in the first place and be in the Catskills at this time of the year. Its a no wonder. Its not been snowing instead of the cool weather for Halloween."
She says with watching Ryan and the others listening in with curiosity on their faces.
It would be only a week prior.
Castle sitting in his office alone thinking about the up and coming Halloween. While his wife was outside walking Royal. Along with Reece wanting to be inside his stroller this time being lazy.
While his mother was at her studio with her students. Alexis working at the P.I. office with Hayley on a new case just received only yesterday.
He was bleary eye for the moment having to be on the laptop too much with nothing to show for it.
Even though he did send in the latest chapter for the second installment of his "Devil's Advocate."
He needed something different for Halloween. He pushed himself away from his computer. Taking the remote to scan the cable channels. And to see it finally in front of his face.
It would be one of the old tv series "Little House On the Prairie." A cabin in the woods like in the Catskills will do wonders and his stories for Halloween. And ghosts that bumps in the night, if done correctly.
He no doubt will have to paid a hefty price to set this up. But who cares? It will be worth the price to get everyone scared in the process.
"Yes!; This will work. He says to himself. And setting his plan up in motion.
No way in hell will he say a word to Kate and her friends. He wants this to be a complete surprise.
Writing down the telephone number on the screen. He was ready to move.
Chapter Two
No matter. Beckett settled down to relax. Along with Lanie and Jenny. Kevin Ryan was in need of some fresh air for the moment. Asking Castle to join him for a few moments. While taking the lanterns with them outside.
Since it would be dark outside and the temperatures dropping a little.
Walking along the path with the lanterns to see. Since there were no moon this particular evening.
Ryan turns to speak with Castle. "How soon before they begin?"
Using the lantern in his hand to look at his glow Witches watch for the occasion. "They should be starting really soon Kevin." Only Ryan was told of the plan. He couldn't wait for the fun to begin.
Meanwhile _
Back at the cabin... Lanie had gotten up from her chair to loosen up her muscles from sitting in a certain position for so long.
When she noticed something like a shadow of some sorts lurking about outside of the window.
She hollered out with her fright. And alerting both ladies of this fact. When Beckett and Jenny ran over to investigate what had happened.
Lanie would be trying to catch her breath after seeing it. She tried to no avail to describe it to the two ladies. Thinking maybe she would be all in her head. She would be shaking like a leaf at the moment.
When Beckett saw her friend in that position. She recognized the signs of being really scared.
"Come on Lanie. You need to clarified at best just what it might of been outside." Beckett says to her friend finally calming down.
"I don't know what it was Kate." Lanie made the comment before going to sit down on the chair. While Jenny moved to take a closer look.
"Maybe Kevin and Castle might of seen it outside during their travels." Jenny with having the satisfaction of trying to understand for the moment.
However for Ryan and Castle. They decided to head back to the cabin. However all of a sudden they heard a scream over by the lake some five hundred feet off the trail. Since the sign on the side had said those words.
Even though etched in crimson.
Ryan and castle with the lanterns started to run to reach the part of a pied and the lake.
What they mostly saw was some type of a shadow or body jumping from a small boat and into the icy waters to disappeared.
Stopping in front. Ryan says to Castle. "I must say. These people from the company really knows how to put on a real show for their clients."
"I agreed. Come on lets head back before something else happens to steer us from the cabin. It would be disastrous to be gone a long time. I wouldn't want to alert the ladies to any type of problems."
"Well than lets go Castle." Ryan interjected before starting to move off with his lantern.
The both men now can hear the owls beginning to make their usual noises perched on the different trees along the path ways.
Making it only more eerie to Castle's likely for this type of night and his monies worth. However unknown to Castle. That strange shadow came up from the waters swimming over to the pied. To pull up with using some sort of a rope, and head back into the forest only to disappear into the fog bank now forming.
Chapter Three
Afterwards.
All three of the ladies decided to relax around the fire place. And wait for Castle and Ryan to come back.
Kate had laid her head back against the chair. Closing her eyes for the moment. She stayed silent, sulking. She doesn't want to be here. Really.
Jenny let out a sigh. As with Lanie.
It would be a moment later. They heard a loud noise on the top of the roof to have them all jump up. Wondering just what the hell it would be.
Lanie tried to make light of it with saying. "Maybe its Santa and the reindeer making a early arrival with presents for all of us."
Having to purr a little from her comment to lighten up the mood.
"Is that's the case Lanie. We would need to put out that fire and let Santa come on down the chimney without getting a Hot-foot." Jenny said to the two ladies.
As for Beckett. She wasn't liking this fact by a long mile. Until she knew what exactly was happening. And why it would be taking Castle and Ryan so long to get back.
The noise didn't happened again on the roof. However when Lanie looked outside of the window to be some what be brave.
She'd noticed the strange fog forming off the trail from the cabin. And to have her imagination get the best of her.
She needed as with Jenny needed to alleviate their nerves with a shot of anything inside of the cabin. And lucky for them. Castle brought a stock of scotch with him for the occasion.
However for Kate Beckett. She was more worried about Castle and Kevin Ryan. Her adrenaline racing with too many thoughts through her mind. She needed to make a quick decision on whether she needed to head outside to take a look.
She would have to take that chance never the less. Moving over to her blue purse and checking her weapon inside. Along with any bullets in-case she needs to fire back to protect herself.
Taking the chance with going outside to the dead of night. Castle and Ryan were no where to be seen.
It was if they were inside some sort of a bubble.
Any rate. Beckett announced to Lanie and Jenny. She would be leaving to check out the area. She needed to take the last lantern inside of the cabin.
Both ladies didn't like the idea of being left alone inside of the cabin. Beckett scratched her head thinking quickly. "Oh, very well. Lets go you, two. But stay behind me in case of trouble."
While all of a sudden a light filtering through the window.
Lanie went to check it out only to find. It would be the moon full.
When there is supposed to be no moon this evening to be truly strange.
Taking into account for it. The three ladies decided to move off out of the cabin and into the cool air.
Now this was strange.
There would be no one around the area. Even the other cabins along the main trail seemed to be empty for this time of the year.
And the only thing they heard. Would be the different owl noises and the usual animals lurking about. Otherwise nothing else.
Until they heard a loud noise almost sounding like thunder. But their were no cloud cover other then just the moon and the twinkling of the stars.
They would be looking up into the sky for now. They continued on walking slowly. Still no sign of them. Kate was getting pissed off by the minute.
Along with the fact there would be another crack of thunder in distance. To have them jump once more with their movements.
Chapter Four
Castle and Kevin needed to go back to them. Castle had his fun in order to scare the three of them.
The manager of the Halloween attraction had told him to wait further. His wife and her two friends were out and about looking for you and your friend here.
Ryan would be enjoying himself inside the special bubble. Made for this type of Halloween attraction. Ryan looks over pushing himself over to the manager. "We have to go back?"
"Not yet Kevin. They still haven't brought out the best part as yet."
"You mean the shooting of the dummy routine?" Shaking his head at the thought of seeing Beckett's face when the body doesn't stay dead. When in fact her bullets inside of her gun had been replaced."
"Correct." The manager says to the both men truly excited at the prospects of watching Kate Beckett's get her just desserts.
Ryan at that moment whistles at the wonderful idea. Even though it could back fire in some ways.
With Castle. He can't wait. Since it's going to be the best Halloween ever!
Chapter Five
Finale
They'd to wait it out for now. The final stage of the Halloween tale to be ending soon. As the clock inside showed 9 P.M.
With Castle several times thinking. Was this the right thing to do in the first place.? It would be a fitting Halloween to end this way in a jubilant celebration of sorts.
Kate Checked her weapon once again. While Lanie and Jenny spoke into Kate's ear. Hopefully they wouldn't be watched on close circuit camera inside of the bubble complex.
She tells the two ladies to be ready for their part of the back-up plan. To get back at Castle for going through this in the first place.
"Its up ahead. Be ready for the final stage." Its all she would say on the matter.
Kate pushed forward to the end of the trail with the lantern. While her gun in the other hand ready.
Lanie would be the one sensing a presence of the personnel dressed as a dummy skeleton of sorts. While the camera feed would show Castle and Ryan just what is happening. Along with the speaker. Everyone's words could be heard at this point.
Standing closer now trying to get a good look. Since the skeleton wasn't moving. When all of a sudden. A GUN SHOT could be heard being directed at Kate Beckett coming from a different direction.
Feeling the gun shot hitting her body and seeing real blood from her left side. She actually screamed out. As with Lanie and Jenny running over.
It would seem the plan actually back-fired. Or did it?
And when Castle and Ryan realized what was happening in horror. This again would be his worst nightmare. Nothing like this has ever happened for when it comes to a Halloween prank.
Castle ran out of the bubble entrance with Ryan running behind her as with the manager. It was an unbelievable situation at this point. And this was supposed to be a celebration for the Halloween holiday.
Everyone went running to the area of where the final act would be staged.
When the proper time came. Her body would be on the ground. With Lanie checking her out. As with Jenny having blood on their hands as the proof.
When Castle came over running and breathing hard. Expecting the worst to see his wife dead.
With his lantern. He would see the blood on the ground and on the two women having helped placed her body on the ground.
It would be when Kate Beckett popped opened her eyes and to say to him with a smile on her face. "HAPPY HALLOWEEN!; I got you this time instead of the opposite."
Lanie and Jenny started to chuckle after watching Castle's face when he came running over to her. Thinking the worst case scenario.
And here it was all of the time. She pulled the double whammy on him. Jesus! She finally got him once again for when it came to scaring the hell out of him for Halloween.
Castle and Kevin Ryan couldn't believed it. They would be speechless for the first time in such a very long time.
Even the manager was chuckling. Since he would be in on it as well. Knowing only with a days advance noticed in regard to the prank.
But at least with everyone involved with the company was able to cooperate to the customer's request in a big way.
It would be a moment later. Castle helps his wife up from the ground to take hold to give her the biggest hug ever. Along with a very passionate kiss to have everyone turning their heads for the moment. Including Lanie even though she knew just about a week with the news.
Besides whispering something into his ear. To have him smiling from ear to ear.
"Really!" He says taking in a deep breath and a sigh.
"I guess Rick. Its a "Double celebration" of sorts seven and one half months from now."
"Best Halloween EVER!"
The end